Who in Middletown Supports a Nuclear Freeze?

Public support for a mutual and verifiable nuclear freeze was examined among 251 adult residents of a midwestern city. During a telephone interview respondents answered questions regarding their attitudes toward the Soviet Union, national defense, and nuclear disarmament. Marginal percentages were similar to those found in national surveys and suggest that supporters and nonsupporters of nuclear freeze proposals differ on several variables. We argue that the conflict between anxieties concerning nuclear warfare and desires for an effective national defense posed a significant dilemma for respondents, resulting in considerable overlap in positions held by the two groups.