What was America's policy regarding the Cold War?

Answer 1

There were 2 major policies that governed overall American Cold War policy:

1. Detente

2. Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), or Nuclear Deterrence

Detente

Detente, or "relaxing of tension", was a policy that grew out of the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Due to how close the U.S. and Soviet Union came to a nuclear exchange over Cuba, leaders of both countries agreed to install a hotline (red phone), for direct communication between each other to ensure that any future conflicts wouldn't escalate to an all out war. The policy of Detente was an extension of this action. While each country had its own overall global policy, detente was used in areas where their was more tension and competition on the global stage, both politically and militarily. Both countries (or NATO and Warsaw Pact nations) would confront each other in ways such that neither side had a clear advantage, maintaining parity.

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

MAD, if ever there was a more apt acronym, was the nuclear exchange policy of the United States and NATO. In essence, the policy stated that any launch by the Soviet Union or its satellite nations, against any NATO country or Western nation, would be considered an attack against the United States, requiring a full nuclear retaliatory response. The doctrine was backed up by the military's Nuclear Triad:

1. Ballistic Missile Submarines on constant patrol

2. Nuclear armed bombers on constant alert and patrol

3. Nuclear ICBM's, located in stationary missile silos and rail car launchers

While it may seem extreme to those who didn't live in those times, both sides adhered to it, and the policy essentially kept the status quo for many decades. The bottom line was that despite the saber rattling and political / military posturing and competition, neither side wanted to be the one to push the nuclear button.