HIS344Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Cuban Missile Crisis, Bomber Gap, Strategy First
Document Summary
Cannot use nukes as conventional bombs, thus targets need to be strategic. Also a few economic bases but primarily military bases. Even if you did this, the fallout of such an attack would mean a long-term holocaust. Attacking numerous targets would destroy the target country and have a global effect. Would still allow the opponent to strike back. Most states would fight back tooth and nail. If this is the case, there is total annihilation. By the mid 1950s, it was deduced that if there was a full nuclear war, there would be total destruction. No clear answer to what war was possible. Deterrence was a main element of nuclear strategy. Making sure that the ussr would not start a conventional war because the americans had an overwhelming nuclear strength. This is the first time the us creates a strategy. The us developed a single integrated operational plan. Every single branch of the nuclear armed forces would be involved.
