Mutual Assured Destruction: A Deep Dive into Cold War Nuclear Strategy

💣Mutual Assured Destruction was a strategy that relied on the belief that both superpowers had enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other.

🌍The strategy aimed to create stability by making each side the hostage of the other, preventing a first strike.

🔥Attempts at ballistic missile defense were largely ineffective, leading to a focus on building up offensive capabilities.

📃The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty limited defensive systems, but both sides continued to develop offensive missile technologies.

☮️Strategic arms control negotiations, such as SALT 1 and SALT 2, aimed to limit the growth of nuclear weapons.

Why didn't the superpowers focus on defense instead of offense?

—Ballistic missile defense systems were largely ineffective, as countermeasures could be used to evade interception.

What was the purpose of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty?

—The treaty limited the deployment of defensive systems to maintain strategic stability and prevent an arms race.

How did Mutual Assured Destruction create stability during the Cold War?

—The strategy deterred both sides from launching a first strike, as the retaliatory forces would ensure mutual destruction.

What are MIRVs?

—Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs) are nuclear warheads that can be placed on a single missile, multiplying the number of warheads each side could deliver in a strategic attack.

Did arms control agreements effectively limit the arms race?

—While arms control agreements like SALT 1 and SALT 2 temporarily capped the growth of offensive missile launchers, they did not prevent advancements in missile technology and the accumulation of more warheads.

00:00The strategy of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) relied on the belief that both the US and the Soviet Union had enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other.

08:34The Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty limited the deployment of defensive systems, but it did not prevent the arms race and advancements in offensive capabilities.

14:54The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) negotiations aimed to limit the growth of nuclear weapons, but the focus shifted towards modernizing and increasing the accuracy of missile systems.

15:58The period after SALT 1 saw a significant increase in the number of warheads and the development of multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).

16:41Arms control agreements did provide temporary caps on offensive missile launchers, but they did not prevent technological advancements and the accumulation of more warheads.