During the Cold War, stability emerged from a condition in which both countries would be destroyed following a first and second strike using nuclear weapons. This situation is known as
A) proliferation.
B) mutual assured destruction (MAD).
C) crisis stability.
D) military preponderance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mutual assured destruction (MAD) refers to the concept that in a nuclear standoff, both sides have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the other completely, resulting in mutual destruction. This creates a situation where neither side can launch a first strike without incurring catastrophic consequences for themselves. This was a central feature of Cold War deterrence theory.

During the Cold War, Stability Emerged from a Condition in Which