This article originally appeared in History of War magazine issue 138. From the earliest days of the Cold War, both the US and the USSR had nuclear weapons, but only one means of delivering a strike – ...

What does M.A.D. mean? M.A.D. refers to the full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two opposing sides, resulting in one clear, obvious outcome – mutually assured destruction. 2 GOP senators back effort ...

This article appeared in History of War magazine issue 152. CIA analysts gathered around U-2 spy plane photographs taken of Cuban military facilities. With horror, they realised they had just ...

For nearly 80 years, the specter of nuclear war has haunted humankind, shaping foreign policy, military strategy, and international relations. The principle of “mutually assured destruction” (MAD) has ...

The puzzle of nuclear deterrence is now further muddied by the emergence of cyber threats and their nebulous role in conflict escalation. As doctrine continues to be shaped, there is the ongoing risk ...