3.2 - Stalemate and Détente: Balance of terror and MAD doctrine

Chapter 3

How did Admiral Sergey Gorshkov transform the USSR into a "Blue-Water" power?

He expanded the Soviet Navy from a coastal defense force into the world’s second-largest fleet, capable of challenging NATO sea lanes and projecting power into the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, and Caribbean.

What was the strategic significance of the Soviet Delta-class submarines?

They provided a "Second-Strike Capability" by hiding the Soviet nuclear deterrent under the Arctic ice, making it nearly impossible for the US to destroy their ability to retaliate in a first strike.

How did the USSR achieve "Numerical Parity" by 1972?

Following the humiliation of Cuba, Brezhnev funneled 15

What was the US "Offset Strategy" in response to Soviet numerical superiority?

The US shifted focus to technological sophistication, using its superior electronics industry to develop precision "Smart" bombs and Stealth, forcing the USSR into a race it couldn't win.

How did MIRV technology allow the US to bypass SALT I limits?

Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles allowed one missile to carry up to 10 warheads hitting different cities, effectively tripling the US arsenal without building new missiles.

What is the analytical difference between "Counterforce" and "City-buster" missiles?

US missiles were more precise, allowing them to target specific Soviet silos (Counterforce), whereas less precise Soviet missiles were mainly designed to hit large urban areas (City-busters).

How did the doctrine of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) change the goal of war?

It shifted the goal from "Winning" to "Deterrence"; nuclear weapons became "political" tools whose only purpose was to ensure they were never used due to the guarantee of "Unacceptable Damage."

Why did MAD lead to an increase in "Proxy Wars" in the Third World?

Because direct conflict meant mutual extinction, the superpowers "froze" the borders of Europe and diverted their aggression to places like Vietnam and Angola where they could fight without nuclear risk.

How did the "Hot-line" (1963) address the "Time Gap" problem of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

It replaced slow, 12-hour encrypted cables with instant teletype communication, allowing leaders to clarify intentions immediately and avoid accidental war over radar blips or stray planes.

What was the psychological shift represented by the "Institutionalization of Crisis Management"?

It was an admission that the US and USSR were "partners in survival," moving from the view of the enemy as an "evil force to be eradicated" to a "dangerous but necessary partner."

How did the "Balance of Terror" create a permanent "Military-Industrial Complex" in both nations?

It created a massive, permanent military sector of the economy that was politically difficult to dismantle, ensuring the Cold War would remain a structural part of both societies.