The 1957 Defence White Paper's short-war assumption

What is the central problem with the 1957 Defence White Paper?

It assumed a short war and created an imbalance in which the Royal Navy retained global responsibilities while other forces became more Europe-centred.

The answer objects principally to planning around a conflict expected to last only a few days. A short-war assumption can hollow out reserves, endurance, conventional forces, and the ability to recover when the opening forecast proves wrong. The paper also reduced or reorganized important supporting structures while privileging missiles. It left the Royal Navy as Britain's principal globally deployed service while the Army and RAF became increasingly centred on Europe, setting up later pressure to abandon wider commitments.