Start of the strictly secret NATO nuclear command post exercise "Able Archer 83" – considered by observers to be probably the highest point of military tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union.more
22 November
1983
The West German Bundestag approves the stationing of new US medium-range missiles, thus implementing the NATO resolution on building up its arms capability. In response, the Soviet Union breaks off the INF negotiations in Geneva on 23 November and the START negotiations as well on 8 December.
24 November
1983
The Soviet party leader Yuri Andropov announces military measures against NATO’s arms build-up, including the stationing of additional missiles in the GDR and the CSSR and of submarines in closer proximity to the USA coastline.
25 November
1983
In a speech to the SED Central Committee, General Secretary Erich Honecker says that the decision to station missiles has caused "serious damage" to the European system of treaties, including the Basic Treaty on relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. But in the next sentence he continues: "We are in favour of limiting this damage as far as possible."
28 November
1983
The CPSU leadership confidentially tells the SED Politburo that "those states that have agreed to the stationing of the missiles must now feel the political consequences of this decision."
As the first part of an "action plan", the leadership in Moscow announces negative effects on relations between West Germany and the USSR and other socialist countries.
It calls on its "German friends" to "make it plain to the FRG how much the situation has changed after the stationing of the missiles, partly because of the political problems it continually raises – the question of the borders, of citizenship etc., stricter controls on travel by West German citizens to the GDR and other things as well."less
