\ -121mentioned the fact that the Soviet Union might prefer to stake her military fortunes on an atomic blitz campaign in which the two major belligerents would fight across other countries without having to conquer them. Also there would be considerable inducement to spare the productive facilities of lesser countrics in the hope that they might eventually be substituted for those destroyed at home. Finally, a great power, suffcring heavily from enemy atomic bombardment, might ili afford to divert as much strength to the conquest of foreign territory as Gormany was able to do in the carly years of the last war or to risk engaging heavily armed forces at great distances when they would depend for their suvply ana reserves on home bascs and communications which were open to total destruc- tion. If this proved to be true, the defensive power of lesser countries would have become greatcr than it was in the Second World War weapons would not have become obsoletc. and their non-atomic Also, as a consequence, the position of the Sovict Union in the heart of Europe would hate-lost some of its military joyj advantages. e These considerations, of course, apply Sonia’, Sovict-Amcrican or a sinilar war in which two major powers, both in vossession of atomic weapons, would face cach other. The outcome of a war in which the Sovict Union was fighting on one side and lesser powers without sufficient atomic weapons and without American aid on the other would be a foregone conclusion. The opponents of Russia would be in such a case in all probability have to capitulate cven before the war had started. One need not wonder, therefore, if in the rimlands of Eurasia the old idea of a "balance of pover" as a major protective device had lost none of its traditional popularity! If some of the weaker mtions should come to possess atomic woapons of their om, their position would, of course, be strengthened, while allies for both the Sovict Union and ourselves. Theywould become warthThe stature of a country like France, who could throw her weight to one side or the other, would srow considerably. But whether the Russians or we would stand to gain by such a As? ts