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Nuclear and guerrilla war, 1945 to 75
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After 1945 the world lived with nuclear weapons. Major powers avoided fighting each other directly, while conventional and guerrilla wars continued.
The nuclear age
Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
The USSR tested its bomb in 1949, starting a nuclear arms race.
Weapons of mass destruction grew more powerful.
MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction): each side could destroy the other, so neither dared attack.
The USSR tested its bomb in 1949, starting a nuclear arms race.
Weapons of mass destruction grew more powerful.
MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction): each side could destroy the other, so neither dared attack.
Limiting the danger
Nuclear proliferation: more countries gained nuclear weapons.
Arms limitation talks, such as SALT, tried to cap the arms race (SALT I, 1972).
Arms limitation talks, such as SALT, tried to cap the arms race (SALT I, 1972).
Conventional and guerrilla war
Conventional wars: the Arab-Israeli conflicts (1948, 1956, 1967, 1973) were fought with tanks, aircraft and armies.
Asymmetric guerrilla warfare: in Vietnam, a weaker force used guerrilla tactics to wear down a superpower.
The superpowers often fought through allies rather than directly.
Asymmetric guerrilla warfare: in Vietnam, a weaker force used guerrilla tactics to wear down a superpower.
The superpowers often fought through allies rather than directly.
How did MAD help prevent a nuclear war?
- Both superpowers had enough weapons to destroy each other.
- Any attack would lead to devastating retaliation.
- So neither side would risk starting a nuclear war.
Answer: Because an attack would mean both sides were destroyed.
1945: atomic bombs on Japan; 1949: Soviet bomb and the arms race. MAD deterred direct war. Proliferation spread weapons; arms limitation talks (SALT I, 1972) tried to limit them. Conventional wars (Arab-Israeli conflicts) and asymmetric guerrilla war (Vietnam) continued.
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