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Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) is a military doctrine that posits that if two opposing sides both possess the capability to destroy each other with nuclear weapons, neither will initiate a conflict, as it would lead to total annihilation for both. During the Cold War, MAD served as a deterrent against nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union, as both superpowers recognized that any first strike would result in devastating retaliation. This precarious balance helped maintain a tense peace, despite numerous crises, because the catastrophic consequences of nuclear conflict were understood by both sides. Ultimately, MAD shaped nuclear strategy and international relations during this period, influencing arms control negotiations and military planning.

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What were the major threats to world peace during the cold war?

MAD- Mutually Assured Destruction with the use of nuclear weapons to wipe out two superpower countries, US and the USSR


What was MAD in the Cold War?

MAD stood for Mutual (or Mutually) Assured Destruction. It refers to nuclear weapons and the basic principle that if, (for example), the United States were to attack the Soviet Union using nuclear weapons then the Soviet Union would respond in the same way. In other words, in trying to destroy the opponent, the aggressor would have guarenteed their own destruction also.


Who fired the first missile during the cold war?

No one did, that is why it was called the Cold War. For all the players involved in this conflict it was only the threat of mutually assured destruction (thru missiles and other weapons of war) that kept everyone from pulling the trigger


What was Mutually Assured Destruction and how did it help prevent nuclear war?

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) was a military strategy during the Cold War based on the premise that if two opposing sides possessed enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other completely, neither would initiate a conflict. This concept created a stable deterrent, as both the United States and the Soviet Union understood that any nuclear attack would result in their own destruction. MAD fostered a precarious peace, as the fear of total annihilation prevented direct military confrontation between the superpowers. Ultimately, this balance of terror contributed to the avoidance of nuclear war during this tense period.


What was M.A.D?

Not sure of your context, but MAD during the cold war referred to Mutually Assured Destruction. It was a deterrence theory that was based on the assumption that neither side would launch an all out nuclear attack because they knew the other side would do the same, thus ensuring that neither side survived.

Related Questions

What famous phrases were coined during the space race and arms race?

mutually assured destruction


Identify the probable affects of President Eisenhower's threat to use atomic weapons during the Cold War?

MAD=Mutually Assured Destruction.


How did the buildup of nuclear weapons promote during the Cold War?

Answer this question… The idea of mutually assured destruction prevented the Soviet Union from launching a nuclear attack on the United States.


What were the major threats to world peace during the cold war?

MAD- Mutually Assured Destruction with the use of nuclear weapons to wipe out two superpower countries, US and the USSR


How did the buildup of the nuclear discourage their use?

The concept was known as MAD- Mutually Assured Destruction. I have some, you have some. If you use yours on me, I will use mine on you. We will both go- together.


What was MAD in the Cold War?

MAD stood for Mutual (or Mutually) Assured Destruction. It refers to nuclear weapons and the basic principle that if, (for example), the United States were to attack the Soviet Union using nuclear weapons then the Soviet Union would respond in the same way. In other words, in trying to destroy the opponent, the aggressor would have guarenteed their own destruction also.


Who fired the first missile during the cold war?

No one did, that is why it was called the Cold War. For all the players involved in this conflict it was only the threat of mutually assured destruction (thru missiles and other weapons of war) that kept everyone from pulling the trigger


What was Mutually Assured Destruction and how did it help prevent nuclear war?

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) was a military strategy during the Cold War based on the premise that if two opposing sides possessed enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other completely, neither would initiate a conflict. This concept created a stable deterrent, as both the United States and the Soviet Union understood that any nuclear attack would result in their own destruction. MAD fostered a precarious peace, as the fear of total annihilation prevented direct military confrontation between the superpowers. Ultimately, this balance of terror contributed to the avoidance of nuclear war during this tense period.


What was main concern in America during the cold war?

Defense of escalating nuclear attack threats, and stopping the growth of communist countries.


What factors discouraged the use of nuclear bombs during the cold war?

Mutual Assured Destruction and proxy wars.


What was M.A.D?

Not sure of your context, but MAD during the cold war referred to Mutually Assured Destruction. It was a deterrence theory that was based on the assumption that neither side would launch an all out nuclear attack because they knew the other side would do the same, thus ensuring that neither side survived.


What does Mutually Assured Destruction mean?

Mutually assured destruction (MAD) was a post-WW2 term used during the Cold War when USA and USSR were building up their arsenal of nuclear weapons (e.g., bombs, strategic bombers, and intercontinental ballistic missiles. MAD is a doctrine for defending your country, and its premise is that you have enough nuclear weapons that would allow you to completely destroy your enemy if it should start a nuclear war. This threat assures the enemy that no one will survive the nuclear war and therefore it is useless to start one. There is no such thing is a limited nuclear war. If one country started it, the other would retaliate in a full-scale attack.