Actually Second Strike capability is the great deterrence.
If an aggressor can’t knock out essentially all of their enemies nuclear response capability on the first strike, the return volley will be devastating.
It’s why the US developed nuclear missile subs - to have second strike capability.
Everyone seems to forget for about 4 years the US was the only country with demonstrated atomic bomb capability.
They could have threatened any other country to give them the keys to the kingdom as no one else had first strike, let alone second strike capability.
IIRC, in that gap period, the US administration tried to globally ban nuclear weapons, ala chemical and biological warfare bans, until USSR demonstrated their first nuke.
Tbh, I think that’s a political move either way. If nobody develops that technology further, nobody will be able to nuke the US. Nobody would realistically be able to tell if the US has completely destroyed all of their stockpiles and records, which will act as a deterrent against any attacks, whether they actually retain their nuclear capability or not (I also 100% believe they would not, but that’s just because I’ve learned not to trust the US government).
Actually Second Strike capability is the great deterrence.
If an aggressor can’t knock out essentially all of their enemies nuclear response capability on the first strike, the return volley will be devastating.
It’s why the US developed nuclear missile subs - to have second strike capability.
Everyone seems to forget for about 4 years the US was the only country with demonstrated atomic bomb capability.
They could have threatened any other country to give them the keys to the kingdom as no one else had first strike, let alone second strike capability.
IIRC, in that gap period, the US administration tried to globally ban nuclear weapons, ala chemical and biological warfare bans, until USSR demonstrated their first nuke.
Tbh, I think that’s a political move either way. If nobody develops that technology further, nobody will be able to nuke the US. Nobody would realistically be able to tell if the US has completely destroyed all of their stockpiles and records, which will act as a deterrent against any attacks, whether they actually retain their nuclear capability or not (I also 100% believe they would not, but that’s just because I’ve learned not to trust the US government).