What was the assumption of behind "mutual assured destruction"?
A) In a U.S.-Soviet crisis Washington would have to launch a nuclear strike first to avoid a Soviet second strike.
B) Only mutual vulnerability to nuclear attack could prevent nuclear war.
C) A full-scale nuclear exchange would produce nuclear "winter".
D) The construction of effective U.S. and Soviet anti-missile defenses would allow both to escape destruction in a nuclear war.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The concept of "mutual assured destruction" (MAD) was based on the idea that both the United States and the Soviet Union possessed enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other in the event of a nuclear war, thereby deterring either side from initiating a conflict. This mutual vulnerability was seen as a stabilizing factor, preventing the outbreak of nuclear war.

What Was the Assumption of Behind "Mutual Assured Destruction