Innsbruck, October 23, 1983
The Yearning for Peace
Yesterday, Saturday a genuine and profound yearning for peace drove people in Europe to the streets. Human chains were formed between the embassies of the U.S. and the USSR in Vienna and in Bonn. Peace demonstrations took place in Brussels, Rome, and London. On the Autobahn between Neu-Ulm and Stuttgart, a uniform human chain closed ranks. These demonstrations were caused by the worries about NATO’s nuclear armament. The approaching deployment of the Pershing II missiles caused alarm, especially in the Federal Republic of Germany, that Central Europe could become the battleground for a nuclear exchange. While the outbreaks of hatred are directed against America, the East is shamelessly taking advantage of the peace movement for its own propaganda. Nothing could be more welcome to the Communist propaganda than being able to split the public in Western Europe on the question of nuclear armament so that a mood for neutrality would gain ground. Without a doubt, a war of nerves lies imminently ahead.