The Year of the Grand Disillusion

Abstract

By the time Henry Kissinger takes the oath as Secretary of State, only a few months will remain in what he once optimistically proclaimed as “the Year of Europe.” So far there has been almost no progress toward the goal he set for this year—a redefinition and reaffirmation of the principles binding together the Atlantic community. Part of this delay has been caused by Western Europe’s own increasing disunity. Despite the unprecedented ease with which Western European nations send goods across each other’s borders, the European Economic Community seethes with some of the deepest discontent in its 15-year history.