Nuclear weapons and limited war: A return to the nuclear battlefield?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Nuclear weapons and limited war: A return to the nuclear battlefield?

AU - Watterson, Chris

PY - 2020/2/28

Y1 - 2020/2/28

N2 - In the early stages of the Cold War the United States adopted a doctrine of limited nuclear war in which tactical nuclear weapons were to be used alongside conventional weapons in pursuing limited military victories on the battlefield. This article describes the US rationale for the adoption of limited nuclear war doctrine as well as its ultimate abandonment in 1974. These findings suggest the conditions under which other nuclear-armed states will be drawn to limited nuclear war doctrine.

AB - In the early stages of the Cold War the United States adopted a doctrine of limited nuclear war in which tactical nuclear weapons were to be used alongside conventional weapons in pursuing limited military victories on the battlefield. This article describes the US rationale for the adoption of limited nuclear war doctrine as well as its ultimate abandonment in 1974. These findings suggest the conditions under which other nuclear-armed states will be drawn to limited nuclear war doctrine.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85080144675&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/01495933.2020.1702341

DO - 10.1080/01495933.2020.1702341

M3 - Article

SN - 0149-5933

VL - 39

SP - 18

EP - 28

JO - COMPARATIVE STRATEGY

JF - COMPARATIVE STRATEGY

IS - 1

ER -