Mutually Assured Destruction: in Theory and Practice Essay Example
By definition Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) is a doctrine of military strategy in which full-scale use of nuclear weapons by both sides would effectively result in the destruction of both side. It is not a complicated concept. An elementary school child could understand that the two biggest kids in the class don't openly brawl because both would suffer unacceptable damage as well as put third parties in the danger of the crossfire. The concept of MAD is not the complicated part; it is everything else that pertains to it that has baffled policy makers and theorists for generations. Mutually Assured Destruction is a complex but precarious balance that dominated the Cold War Era. The stability can easily be disrupted by actions taken by each side's leaders and the political philosophies behind them. Following the Cold War, resolution has been a slow process as citizen groups attempt to end the dependence of nuclear arms in foreign policy, progress in an area the powers have shown reluctance.
A few things are of necessity in order for countries to be engaged in mutual deterrence. The first of which is the idea of targeting large civilian centers or planning for a mass amount of civilians to get hurt in the process. This idea is not of recent origin but can be traced back to the dawn of man. It was used in the Civil War during Sherman's March to Sea and later with the German Zeppelin raids in WWII. However, with the creation and employment of the atomic bomb, the act of targeting civilian centers or cities was perfected. Central to the practical use of attacking cities is the idea of cutting off or destroying that, which supplies the enemy's fighting forces. The demoralizing effect is an added that does much to influence the policy of the opposing leaders. Is it ethical to attack the civilians who may not even support the war? Policy makers, as well as those who have carried out these attacks, have pondered this question for centuries. The fact that the entire
A few things are of necessity in order for countries to be engaged in mutual deterrence. The first of which is the idea of targeting large civilian centers or planning for a mass amount of civilians to get hurt in the process. This idea is not of recent origin but can be traced back to the dawn of man. It was used in the Civil War during Sherman's March to Sea and later with the German Zeppelin raids in WWII. However, with the creation and employment of the atomic bomb, the act of targeting civilian centers or cities was perfected. Central to the practical use of attacking cities is the idea of cutting off or destroying that, which supplies the enemy's fighting forces. The demoralizing effect is an added that does much to influence the policy of the opposing leaders. Is it ethical to attack the civilians who may not even support the war? Policy makers, as well as those who have carried out these attacks, have pondered this question for centuries. The fact that the entire