Difference between revisions of "Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)"
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− | The notion of mutually assured destruction (MAD) refers to a national security policy whereby two opposing countries using weapons of mass destruction against each other would result in the irreversible annihilation of both parties. MAD is a component of the theory of deterrence, which holds that it is necessary for countries with nuclear weapons capabilities to threaten their deployment against a country threatening them with the same use of nuclear force in order to ensure that no attacks are carried out as such an attack would result in mutually assured destruction. | + | The notion of mutually assured destruction (MAD) refers to a [[National Security|national security]] policy whereby two opposing countries using weapons of mass destruction against each other would result in the irreversible annihilation of both parties. MAD is a component of the theory of deterrence, which holds that it is necessary for countries with nuclear weapons capabilities to threaten their deployment against a country threatening them with the same use of nuclear force in order to ensure that no attacks are carried out as such an attack would result in mutually assured destruction. |
[[Category:The Cultural Diplomacy Dictionary]] | [[Category:The Cultural Diplomacy Dictionary]] | ||
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+ | == External Links and References == | ||
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+ | * [http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mutually-assured-destruction.htm What is Mutually Assured Destruction?] | ||
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+ | * [http://www.atomicarchive.com/Docs/Deterrence/Deterrence.shtml Speech by Robert McNamara on MAD (1967)] | ||
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+ | * [http://www.atomicarchive.com/History/coldwar/page15.shtml Brief History on MAD during the Cold War ] |
Latest revision as of 13:32, 4 April 2014
The notion of mutually assured destruction (MAD) refers to a national security policy whereby two opposing countries using weapons of mass destruction against each other would result in the irreversible annihilation of both parties. MAD is a component of the theory of deterrence, which holds that it is necessary for countries with nuclear weapons capabilities to threaten their deployment against a country threatening them with the same use of nuclear force in order to ensure that no attacks are carried out as such an attack would result in mutually assured destruction.