{"id":{"repo_id":"mo-state","oai_identifier":"oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-1203"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mo-state/oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-1203","repository":{"repo_id":"mo-state","name":"Missouri State University","base_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"A Case For the Preservation of NATO","abstract":"This thesis examines the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its future in light of its history and recent changes in the international security environment. In Eastern and Central Europe, the grip of the Soviet Union has been loosened; communist regimes are being replaced with more democratic ones; and the Warsaw Pact has been officially disbanded. Germany is unified. The perception is that the military threat has been greatly reduced. Even though large numbers of Soviet forces remain in Europe, many believe that NATO should be changed organically, or even dissolved, to be replaced by a broader European security entity. An examination of NATO's role in Europe, of alternatives, and of the current situation suggests, however, that such fundamental changes at this time would be unwise. Uncertainties, instabilities, and threats remain. It would be premature to do away with the transatlantic alliance, and its primary objective of guarding Western interests.","abstract_html":"This thesis examines the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its future in light of its history and recent changes in the international security environment. In Eastern and Central Europe, the grip of the Soviet Union has been loosened; communist regimes are being replaced with more democratic ones; and the Warsaw Pact has been officially disbanded. Germany is unified. The perception is that the military threat has been greatly reduced. Even though large numbers of Soviet forces remain in Europe, many believe that NATO should be changed organically, or even dissolved, to be replaced by a broader European security entity. An examination of NATO's role in Europe, of alternatives, and of the current situation suggests, however, that such fundamental changes at this time would be unwise. Uncertainties, instabilities, and threats remain. It would be premature to do away with the transatlantic alliance, and its primary objective of guarding Western interests.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ritcheson, Philip Luethi"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["William Van Cleave"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1991,"date_issued":"1991-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1991-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:15:12Z","subjects":["Defense and Security Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":["© Philip Luethi Ritcheson"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/202","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["William Van Cleave"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ritcheson, Philip Luethi"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Defense and Strategic Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Defense and Security Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© Philip Luethi Ritcheson"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/202"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis examines the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its future in light of its history and recent changes in the international security environment. In Eastern and Central Europe, the grip of the Soviet Union has been loosened; communist regimes are being replaced with more democratic ones; and the Warsaw Pact has been officially disbanded. Germany is unified. The perception is that the military threat has been greatly reduced. Even though large numbers of Soviet forces remain in Europe, many believe that NATO should be changed organically, or even dissolved, to be replaced by a broader European security entity. An examination of NATO's role in Europe, of alternatives, and of the current situation suggests, however, that such fundamental changes at this time would be unwise. Uncertainties, instabilities, and threats remain. It would be premature to do away with the transatlantic alliance, and its primary objective of guarding Western interests."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Case For the Preservation of NATO"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["William Van Cleave"],"dc:creator":["Ritcheson, Philip Luethi"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis examines the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its future in light of its history and recent changes in the international security environment. In Eastern and Central Europe, the grip of the Soviet Union has been loosened; communist regimes are being replaced with more democratic ones; and the Warsaw Pact has been officially disbanded. Germany is unified. The perception is that the military threat has been greatly reduced. Even though large numbers of Soviet forces remain in Europe, many believe that NATO should be changed organically, or even dissolved, to be replaced by a broader European security entity. An examination of NATO's role in Europe, of alternatives, and of the current situation suggests, however, that such fundamental changes at this time would be unwise. Uncertainties, instabilities, and threats remain. It would be premature to do away with the transatlantic alliance, and its primary objective of guarding Western interests."],"dc:identifier":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/202"],"dc:rights":["© Philip Luethi Ritcheson"],"dc:subject":["Defense and Security Studies"],"dc:title":["A Case For the Preservation of NATO"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Defense and Strategic Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:15:12Z"}