Cold War Military Strategy

Cold War military strategy during the Atomic Age focused on the threat of nuclear warfare between superpowers, primarily the United States and the Soviet Union. Both sides aimed to deter conflict through the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), meaning that any nuclear attack would lead to devastating retaliation. This led to stockpiling nuclear weapons, developing advanced delivery systems like intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and maintaining a state of military readiness. The strategy emphasized deterrence over direct confrontation, where the mere possession of nuclear weapons was expected to prevent wars between the two powers.