Nuclear Factor and Its Impact on Military Doctrines of the USSR and the USA during the Cold War
https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2025-27-6-1112-1123
Abstract
The Cold War doctrines of the USSR and the USA were shaped by the nuclear factor. Today, nuclear deterrence remains a major factor of international security. This article offers a comprehensive comparative historical analysis of the mutual influence in the technological and doctrinal aspects of nuclear confrontation. The authors studied doctrinal documents, international treaties, analytical materials (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute), and historiographical works to trace the evolution of strategic thinking from the initial stage of the US nuclear monopoly to the formation of concepts of nuclear deterrence, mutual assured destruction, and the nuclear triad. The evolution of nuclear strategies was periodized as follows: formation (1945–1953); classical nuclear deterrence (1954–1969), strategic stability (1970–1985), transformation (1986–1991). While the approaches that the superpowers applied to the nuclear triad were rather asymmetric, the nuclear factor changed the nature of military confrontation, creating a system of strategic stability based on mutual deterrence. It yielded new arms control mechanisms, many of which remain relevant in the modern international relations.
Keywords
About the Author
Georgy A. Mayorov
State University of Management
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Moscow
Competing Interests:
The author declared no potential conflict of interests regarding the research, authorship, and / or publication of this article.
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Review
For citations:
Mayorov G.A. Nuclear Factor and Its Impact on Military Doctrines of the USSR and the USA during the Cold War. SibScript. 2025;27(6):1112-1123. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2025-27-6-1112-1123
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