International Relations: Waltz's Views on Nuclear Deterrence

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary factor attributed to the caution exercised by dominant powers in the postwar era, according to John Lewis Gaddis?

Workings of the nuclear deterrent

According to Lebow and Stein, what was the reality of the Soviet-American conflict from the late 1960s onward?

Mutually assured destruction

What is the key distinction between nuclear conflicts and conventional conflicts of the past or present, according to Lebow and Stein?

Fear of consequences

What is the outcome of the acknowledgment and refraining from challenging each other's vital interests by US and Soviet leaders, according to Lebow and Stein?

Avoidance of war Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge to the nuclear revolution theory, according to the text?

Explanation for the lack of major power war Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 'most far-reaching arms control' in the context of nuclear vulnerability, according to Lebow and Stein?

It was the only way to escape MAD Signup and view all the answers

What is the key aspect of deterrence in a nuclear world?

Absolute capability Signup and view all the answers

What is the limitation of nuclear deterrence?

It only works against major aggression at the center Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of military action, according to Waltz?

Related to a specific objective Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between conventional and nuclear weapons, according to Waltz?

Strategies determine the outcome of conventional wars, but not nuclear wars Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of nuclear stalemate on the use of conventional forces?

It decreases the use of conventional forces Signup and view all the answers

What is the constant possibility in a world with nuclear states, according to Waltz?

War Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of a defense strategy?

To protect territory and ward off aggressors Signup and view all the answers

According to deterrence by punishment, what happens to an aggressor if it does attack?

Its gains from the attack are outweighed by the punishment inflicted Signup and view all the answers

For a deterrent threat to be effective, what condition must be met?

The threat must promise to do more harm than good Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the three requirements for a deterrent weapon?

Destructive power Signup and view all the answers

Why are nuclear weapons particularly effective as a deterrent?

Because their destructive power is enough to outweigh the prospective benefits of an attack Signup and view all the answers

What is the formula for determining the effectiveness of a deterrent threat?

(Probability of retaliation) * (Damage done) > (Expected gains from attack) Signup and view all the answers

What is the key implication of nuclear weapons for the use of force, according to nuclear revolution theorists?

The ability to inflict punishment no longer depends on progress on the battlefield, and deterrence of war by the threat of punishment becomes possible. Signup and view all the answers

According to Kenneth Waltz, what are the two pervasive beliefs that have given nuclear weapons a bad name?

That nuclear deterrence is highly problematic, and that a breakdown in deterrence would mean Armageddon. Signup and view all the answers

What is the possibility afforded to nations that possess nuclear weapons, according to Waltz?

The possibility of security at reasonable cost. Signup and view all the answers

What type of defense is not possible against nuclear attack, according to Waltz?

A meaningful defense. Signup and view all the answers

What is the chief purpose of military establishments in the nuclear age, according to nuclear revolution theorists?

Deterrence. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of nuclear weapons in the context of international relations, according to nuclear revolution theorists?

They change the ways that states can use force, making deterrence a more viable strategy. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a military establishment according to Bernard Brodie's 1946 statement, and how does it highlight the significance of nuclear weapons?

The primary purpose of a military establishment is to avert wars, rather than to win them. This highlights the significance of nuclear weapons as a deterrent, serving as a means to prevent wars rather than fight them. Signup and view all the answers

What is the notable absence in international politics since 1945, and what does it suggest about the impact of nuclear weapons?

The notable absence is the lack of major power war among nuclear powers. This suggests that nuclear weapons have had a significant impact on international politics, contributing to a period of relative peace among major powers. Signup and view all the answers

What is the key argument for the nuclear revolution, and how does it relate to the concept of deterrence?

The key argument for the nuclear revolution is that nuclear weapons have revolutionized international politics by serving as a deterrent, preventing major power war. This is because nuclear weapons make the consequences of war so devastating that states are deterred from engaging in it. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 1945 date in the context of the nuclear revolution, and what does it imply about the impact of nuclear weapons?

The 1945 date marks the end of World War II and the beginning of the nuclear era. It implies that the introduction of nuclear weapons has had a significant impact on international politics, leading to a period of relative peace among major powers. Signup and view all the answers

What is the central debate surrounding the nuclear revolution, and what is the key question that it raises?

The central debate surrounding the nuclear revolution is whether nuclear weapons have indeed 'revolutionized' international politics, and if so, why and how. This raises the key question of what impact nuclear weapons have had on international relations. Signup and view all the answers

How do nuclear weapons, according to the narrow view, achieve deterrence and replace brute force with coercion?

Nuclear weapons, according to the narrow view, achieve deterrence through the threat of mutually assured destruction, discouraging war and replacing brute force with coercion. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of the nuclear revolution, according to the broad view?

The primary benefit of the nuclear revolution, according to the broad view, is the shift of competition among states from military competition to other arenas. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main argument of John Mueller's 'The Essential Irrelevance of Nuclear Weapons'?

The main argument is that nuclear weapons are not as significant as commonly thought, and their existence does not fundamentally change the nature of international relations. Signup and view all the answers

How does the nuclear revolution, according to Gray, change the concept of victory in international relations?

According to Gray, the nuclear revolution requires a rethinking of the concept of victory, as traditional notions of military victory are no longer applicable in a nuclear world. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of nuclear weapons in the context of strategic thought in America, according to Trachtenberg?

Nuclear weapons play a central role in shaping strategic thought in America, influencing the development of military doctrine and national security policy. Signup and view all the answers

What is the distinction between nuclear conflicts and conventional conflicts, according to the broad view of the nuclear revolution?

The broad view of the nuclear revolution distinguishes nuclear conflicts from conventional conflicts by the shift of competition from military to other arenas, such as economic and political competition. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Strategic Deterrent and Nuclear Weapons

The concept of deterrence involves dissuading an attacker through the costs or punishment that will be imposed if they do attack.
There are three types of strategies: offense, defense, and deterrence.
Offense aims to move rapidly and take territory, while defense aims to protect territory and ward off aggressors.
Deterrence, on the other hand, focuses on punishment and aims to persuade potential aggressors not to attack.

Deterrence by Punishment

Deterrence by punishment relies on retaliation to persuade potential aggressors not to attack.
This type of deterrence does not attempt to deny or block an attack, but instead focuses on imposing punishment if an attack occurs.
For deterrence to be effective, the threat must promise to do more harm and impose more costs than the benefits that would be gained through the action to be deterred.

Requirements for a Deterrent Weapon

There are three requirements for a deterrent weapon:
- Destructive power
- No effective defense against the retaliatory blow
- Clear costs that will be inflicted by the punishment

The Destructive Power of Nuclear Weapons

The destructive power of nuclear weapons is sufficient to outweigh the prospective benefits of an attack.
Nuclear weapons are unique in their ability to act as a strategic deterrent due to their immense destructive power.

Nuclear Revolution Theorists

Nuclear revolution theorists argue that nuclear weapons have changed the way states can use force and have made deterrence a more viable option.
Kenneth Waltz and Robert Jervis are notable nuclear revolution theorists.
They argue that the ability to inflict punishment no longer depends on progress on the battlefield, and that deterrence of war by the threat of punishment becomes possible.

Challenges to the Nuclear Revolution

Some challenges to the nuclear revolution include:
- The lack of major power war or the explanation for that lack
- The idea that deterrence depends on what one can do, not what one will do
- The absolute nature of nuclear weapons, which makes them different from conventional weapons
- The limits of nuclear deterrence, which may only work against major aggression at the center
- The importance of political behavior and military action being related to an objective

Waltz's Views

Waltz argues that nuclear weapons are different from conventional weapons and dominate strategy.
He also argues that nuclear weapons have made war-fighting strategies obsolete, and that no one has shown how a war could be fought with nuclear weapons.
Waltz believes that nuclear stalemate limits the use of conventional forces and reduces the extent of the gains one can seek without risking devastation.

Broad and Narrow Understandings of Nuclear Revolution

There are two versions of the nuclear revolution:
- Narrow view: Nuclear weapons are different and act to discourage war through nuclear deterrence.
- Broad view: Nuclear weapons do more than discourage war; they shift competition away from military competition to other arenas.

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