Demystifying Nuclear Deterrence

Abstract

By the late 1940s, nuclear arms molded the relationships between the Soviet Union and the USA. While the former was testing its first fission bomb late in August 1949, the latter had already stockpiled in its arsenals more than 200 atomic warheads . But for many Americans this was not enough. With the Communist takeover in China and the outbreak of the Korean War , the US administration decided to launch new programs for the upgrading of long-range bombers and guided missiles, with the specific aim to improve America’s atomic efficiency and military capability. These developments were the quintessential element of a widely accepted doctrine that came to be known as nuclear deterrence : the USA had to retain “the best, the biggest and the most” atomic weapons in order to efficiently dissuade the Soviet Union from being aggressive.