What is nuclear deterrence?
Nuclear deterrence is what caused the Soviet Union and the USA to produce huge stockpiles of nuclear missiles and bombs during the Cold War years. If two opposing forces have a roughly equal amount of weapons, training, and troops then the outcome of a battle between them is usually unpredictable. If one side was clearly the stronger, then usually, this side would win. Both the former Soviet Union and America didn’t want to be the weaker side. So they both produced many bombs and missiles capable of causing much damage to the enemy. As both sides had similar amounts of weapons, if a war had broken out, there would have been no clear cut winner. Thus neither side dare risk attacking the opposition. The oppositions weapons were a deterrent. USA + USSR could deliver about 1 million tonnes of destructive energy. Such destruction is basis of nuclear deterrence. The main policies are: Deterrence The adversaries do not attack because of fear of retaliation. Mutually assured destruction (M.A.D
