Nuclear Weapon Policies: Cold War Legacy and Modern Challenges

Yangsun Yun

U.S. History EHS

 The Cold War, beginning from the end of World War II in 1945 to the disorganization

of the Soviet Union in 1991, was characterized by conflict between the United States and the

Soviet Union (Gaddis, 2005). Nuclear weapons have been a significant power to maintain

global dominance over other countries and have made significant changes in the attitudes and

policies of both countries during the Cold War. The essay will introduce the impacts of

nuclear weapons during the Cold War and how they affect modern society.

At the time of the Cold War, the development, accumulation, and increasing numbers

of nuclear weapons changed political approaches on both sides and influenced government

decisions. (Herken, 2015). Reinforcement was steadily needed to gain a technical initiative

and stock more nuclear weapons than their opponent (Rhodes, 2007). If one stops making and

strengthening nuclear weapons, then their opponent gets a massive threat of attack. The

principle of mutually assured destruction (MAD) emerged and claimed that both America and

the Soviet Union must suppress the launch of a nuclear weapon. If not, then the results would

be destructive for the world (Jervis, 1989).

 Nuclear weapons also influence diplomatic methods. The policy of limitation, based

on the belief that having a reasonable nuclear power would discourage attack, became a

cornerstone of Cold War diplomacy (Morgenthau, 1967). This policy focused on preventing

military conflict between the U.S., the Soviets, and their allies. The Cuban Missile Crisis of

1962 illustrates the risky brinkmanship associated with nuclear weapons during this period,

as the world wavered on the edge of nuclear war before a diplomatic resolution was reached

(Allison, 1971).

In the post-Cold War era, the threat of nuclear weapons remains, although in a

different political way. The proliferation of nuclear technology in other nations and the

emergence of people seeking access to these weapons are upcoming problems. Sagan, S. D.

(2011). The launch of nuclear weapons is a serious global concern nowadays, emphasizing

that there must be constant efforts to avoid and ban nuclear war. Modern global society has to

be strict about contacting nuclear weapons. The Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear

Weapons (NPT), founded in 1968, has been performing the function of a worldwide

partnership to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons (United Nations, 1968). The

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) works to prohibit all nuclear dangers for all

purposes. Federations, like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also observe

and establish obedience to nuclear nonproliferation agreements.

To conclude, nuclear weapons have left a remarkable impact on the pages of history,

forming Cold War policies and attitudes. Since the end of the Cold War diminished the

immediate threat of a large-scale nuclear conflict between superpower countries, the

challenges still persist nowadays. Today, international organizations continue their efforts to

prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and lessen the risks associated with their usage.

As history repeats itself, the lessons of the Cold War can be helpful to remind and advise us
of the severe need for global cooperation to ensure a world free from the tragic results of

nuclear war.

Reference Page

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U.S. History EHS 20.2

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U.S. Nuclear Weapons: Changes in Policy and Force Structure. (2008).

In CRS Reports. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL31623.html

The history of nuclear proliferation. (n.d.). World101 From the Council on Foreign Relations.

https://world101.cfr.org/global-era-issues/nuclear-proliferation/history-nuclear-proliferation

Sagan, S. D. (2011). The causes of nuclear weapons proliferation. Annual Review of Political

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