Nuclear Weapons IR Class IDs

Atomic vs. Hydrogen Bomb

Atomic Bombs operate using fission, Hydrogen bombs use fission explosions to create fusion; Atom bombs combine radioactive material (Uranium or Plutonium) into a critical mass which causes a chain fission reaction; hydrogen bombs use the same mechanism as atom bombs but they are filled with a gaseous form of hydrogen isotopes (either deuterium or tritium) which are fused together to create a fusion reaction (the same reaction that powers the sun)

Brinksmanship

The practice of escalating a situation to its breaking point in order to cause one's opponent to back down first

Burning Bridges

Removing safeguards to make threats more credible (e.g., giving command control of nuclear weapons to officers on the ground in Europe, so that if they are attacked by the Soviets with conventional weapons, they can retaliate with nuclear weapons without consulting Washington, making the defensive deterrence of the forward position more credible)

Centrifuges

Spinning aluminum tubes used to separate uranium gas; the heavier isotopes cling to the outside and the lighter isotopes (the more reactive ones) remain closer to the center and are siphoned out and re enriched

Chain Reaction vs. Explosive Chain Reaction

A chain reaction is where a nucleus is split and its component parts split one more nucleus-this creates manageable energy levels and is used in nuclear energy; an explosive chain reaction is where each split nucleus splits two or more nuclei on average-this creates an unmanageable amount of energy and creates massive explosions

Counterforce vs. Countervalue

Counterforce is the use of military power to degrade the enemy's fighting capabilities so that they cannot fight back (airfields, naval bases, forward operating areas); countervalue is the use of military power to punish the enemy's economy and civilian population to force a negotiated settlement (towns, railroads, factories, commercial ports)

Crisis Stability/Instability (relating to size of arsenal)

Crisis stability is achieved when both sides have a large enough nuclear arsenal to maintain a second strike capability (e.g., the US and Russia have enough nuclear weapons each that a nuclear strike would mean assured destruction); crisis instability is when one party has a large number of weapons and the other party doesn't have enough to guarantee a second strike capability (e.g., if the Russians only had 20 weapons, the US would be incentivized to totally disarm them by attacking each silo with 10 bombs, and if one or two missiles were launched and hit major cities, that may be an acceptable cost to prevent the possibility of 10 major cities being decimated)

Critical vs. Supercritical Mass

Critical Mass is what is required to create a chain reaction; supercritical mass is required to create an explosive chain reaction

Deterrence vs. Coercion/Compellence

Deterrence is when states use force and incentives to prevent unwanted behavior; Coercion/Compellence is when states use force and incentives to induce desired behavior

First Strike Capability

The ability to launch a preemptive nuclear strike to destroy an opponent's nuclear arsenal

Fissile Material

Material capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction (Uranium-235 and Plutonium-239 are the most common)

Fission vs. Fusion

Fission is the process where a heavy atomic nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei, releasing energy, while fusion is the process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, also releasing energy.

Flexible Response

Flexible response is a military strategy established following John F. Kennedy's handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Cold War. Flexible response involves meeting aggression with a proportionate level of response, ie. conventional weapons or the limited use of nuclear weapons. Its strengths are its versatility and proportionality and the potential for deterrence through enhanced credibility. Its weaknesses are it is cost-ineffective and requires complex decision making.

Gaseous Diffusion

Uranium gas is forced through a porous barrier and Uranium 235 diffuses faster than Uranium 238 because it's lighter; then the process is repeated until the resulting gas is 90% U-235 or more

Gun-Type Weapon

A type of nuclear weapon detonator that brings a Uranium bullet to a Uranium mass in a split-second moment. The Little Boy bomb dropped on Hiroshima was a gun type nuclear weapon.

High-enriched Uranium (HEU)

Uranium enriched to more than 20% uranium-235 is defined as highly enriched uranium (HEU). All HEU is weapons-usable, but the lower the enrichment level the greater the amount of material required to achieve a critical mass—the amount of material required to build a bomb.

ICBM

An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a nuclear-armed, land-based missile that can travel thousands of miles. ICBMs drastically shifted Cold War military policy because of their incredible range and little time of reaction after strike. They have created the possibility for Moscow and Washington to be mutual potential targets.

Implosion-Type Weapon

An implosion type weapon works when a core of fissionable material is suddenly compressed into a smaller size and thus a greater density; because it is denser, the nuclei are more tightly packed and the chances of an emitted neutron striking a nucleus are increased.

IRBM

Intermediate range ballistic missiles, many of which were deployed in Europe during the Cold War, can travel up to 3,000 miles.

Low-enriched Uranium (LEU)

Uranium that cannot be used for weapons, but instead has uses as nuclear fuel for reactors and other medical and scientific pursuits.

Massive Retaliation

A policy that asserts that America will respond to any attack on allies or violation of sphere of influence with overwhelming, massive force. This is considered not very credible because why would the United States actually risk Washington for Berlin. Eisenhower supported this, Kennedy shifted to a flexible response.

MIRV

Multiple Independently Targeted Reentry Vehicles, a type of missile that can hold a number of nuclear warheads that can all be programmed to hit different targets. Many of the missiles in the current U.S. arsenal fall into this category

MRV

Multiple reentry vehicles, these are not independently targeted, they are akin to buckshot, you drop them on an area and they are imprecise but they detonate a nimble of nuclear devices in a certain area

Mutual Assured Destruction

A phenomenon that occurs when two nations have large enough nuclear arsenals to unleash complete destruction on each other. Eliminates any strategic element to starting a nuclear war because a nuclear strike ensures your own nation's destruction.

Nuclear Fratricide

When nuclear weapons cannot be detonated for a time period in an area that another weapon has immediately detonated in, this is relevant when considering second strike capability and the bombing of nuclear weapons fields and silos.

Nuclear Monopoly

Being the only nation with nuclear weapons (U.S. before 1949)

Nuclear Superiority

Completely eclipsing your opponent in the quality of nuclear arsenal and effectiveness of delivery systems.

Nuclear Triad

Air, Land, and Sea (Nuclear equipped bombers, ICBMs, and Submarines)

Plutonium-239 (origins)

Plutonium that is used to construct nuclear weapons; created by bombarding Uranium-239 with neutrons which decays into Neptunium-239 and then into Plutonium-239, which is fissile

Preventive vs. Preemptive War

Preventive war is attacking before the enemy has mobilized and taking out their arsenal (if we attacked the Soviets unprovoked in the 1940s to destroy their chances at developing a nuclear bomb)

Preemptive war is after the enemy has already mobilized and you're simply attacking before they officially invade (Israel during the 6 day war)

Punishment vs. Denial

Denial is preventing your enemy from being able to do something/ inflict damage in the first place. Punishment is posturing that if your enemy takes certain actions, the retaliation will be so great that they won't do it

Punishment is posturing that if your enemy takes certain actions, the retaliation will be so great that they won't do it

Radioactive Fallout

Toxic radiation left over after a nuclear bomb has been detonated, can linger for years

Rationality of Irrationality

if the other side thinks you are insane then they will be more careful around you and likely be afraid of any erratic outbursts

SAC

Strategic Air Command is the department responsible for the command and control of bombers and ballistic missiles until 1992, headed by curtis lemay

Salami Tactics

A strategy where you test your enemy's committments piece by piece to invalidate their security pledges and undermine their credibility. If Russia invaded Estonia and NATO said "we won't go to war over Estonia" when does the buck stop?

Second Strike Capability

Having a large and spread out enough nuclear arsenal to absorb a first attack and then launch a devesting counter attack against your enemy.

Security Dilemma

One country building up its defense can be interpreted as an offensive build up and can lead to an arms race

SLBM

Submarine launched ballistic missile, one of the key components of the nuclear triade, a single submarine can carry 288 warheads

Stability-Instability Paradox

While nuclear weapons may decrease the likelihood of war between great powers, they increase the chances of smaller conflicts and proxy wars. Vietnam and Korea.

Tactical Nuclear Weapons

Small nuclear weapons that could potentially used on the battlefield

Tripwire

A small number of soldiers stationed somewhere to serve as a trigger if another country invades the area, (ie. West Berlin)

Type 1 vs. Type 2 Deterrence

Type 1 deterrence is one country deterring another by having enough weapons to ensure MAD

type 2 is country A pledging defense to country B from country C by stating that A will respond to an attack on B as if it were an attack on themselves. This has credibility issues.

Uranium-235 (origins)

The isotope of Uranium necessary to build an atomic bomb, can either be mined (although it is quite rare) or refined using a system of centrifuges