East European Military Reform After the Cold War: Implications for the United States

The armed forces were among the institutions most profoundly affected by the collapse of communist rule throughout Eastern Europe. The authors focus on the process of military reform in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, examining how the process of overcoming the Soviet legacy to the militaries of the six countries has unfolded. Among the troublesome aspects of this topic, the report discusses the tensions that emerged in civil-military relations, the effects of personnel disruptions, and the problems encountered in the restructuring and modernization of forces. The authors consider the implications of these developments for the United States and offer some recommendations for policies to further encourage and consolidate the process of military reform in Eastern Europe.