Nuclear Weapons As a Defense Mechanism

1888 Words4 Pages

Nuclear weapons are the safest defense mechanism in the world. Although nuclear weapons can lead to mass destruction and the loss of thousands of lives when detonated, they are the optimal solution to the conflicts between countries in the future. The actual use of the nuclear weapon is not the deterrent, but rather just the mere fact that a country could use it against another country which avoids the large scale conflict. Thus, nuclear deterrence presents itself as a preferred security option. Firstly, based on deterrence theory, nuclear weapons will lead to Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). This means that if nuclear weapons are used in warfare, either side will not be able to succeed in winning, as the destruction caused by the weapons will be too much for either side to recuperate from. Since the detonation of “Fat Man” and “Little Boy” over Nagasaki and Hiroshima, nuclear weapons have never been used in warfare again. The world saw the destruction which a nuclear bomb could have. Ever since, this has driven fear to never use nuclear weapons. Although many countries possess nuclear weapons today, they have yet to engage in a nuclear war. This has so far maintained “a tense but global peace” (Mutual Assured Destruction, 2014). As the use of nuclear weapons would lead to the ultimate destruction of humankind, nuclear deterrence is a viable security option as shown by the MAD principles, the application of the MAD doctrine throughout history and the current global stability.
As a nuclear war would result in a stalemate and in a catastrophic loss of life, it is the fear factor with their presence that creates stability. “Mutual assured destruction, or mutually assured destruction (MAD), is a doctrine of military strategy and nati...

... middle of paper ...

....d.). The Stability-Instability Paradox, Misperception, and Escalation Control in South Asia . Stimson. Retrieved January 19, 2014, from http://www.stimson.org/images/uploads/research-pdfs/ESCCONTROLCHAPTER1.pdf
Waltz, K. (2012, July/August). Why Iran Should Get the Bomb. Global. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/137731/kenneth-n-waltz/why-iran-should-get-the-bomb
Mutual assured destruction. (2014, January 1). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction
Yamazaki, J. (n.d.). Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll. Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll. Retrieved January 19, 2014, from http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/cab/200708230009.html
Stability-instability paradox. (2013, September 17). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 19, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stability-instability_paradox

Open Document