The Role of US Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century

<p>For over 50 years US nuclear deterrence strategy protected the United States against Soviet expansionism and dominance. US nuclear weapons provided parity between overwhelming numbers of conventional Soviet forces and far fewer US and NATO forces Far from being constant however US nuclear deterrence policy shifted during those years in response to geostrategic circumstances. The strategies of massive retaliation flexible response and mutually assured destruction each accomplished a similar mission - provide a deterrent against massive Soviet attack against the West.<br>Nuclear deterrence was arguable at work during the de-escalation of the Korean War the Berlin Crisis and the Gulf War. For the last 50 years US strategic planners found the most dangerous threat and the most likely threat to the US emanated from the same source - the Soviet Union. Planning was relatively straightforward. Today US strategic planners are faced with a more uncertain world as the most dangerous threat to US survival remains a heavily armed Russia but asymmetric attacks from non-state actors using WMD has supplanted communist expansionism. US strategic deterrence must face both scenarios now emanating from entirely different sources.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>