Proliferation during the Cold War Flashcards
Define nuclear proliferation
The spread of nuclear weapons
Define horizontal proliferation
Their acquisition by more states or other actors
Define vertical proliferation
Their accumulation by established nuclear states
What happened during the Cold War?
The ‘nuclear club’ expanded to include all P-5 members, nuclear tests were carried out by the UK (1952), France (1960) and China (1962).
What did the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 do?
Restricted nuclear weaponry from spreading beyond the ‘big five’
Made indefinite in 1995 and signed by almost all states -except India, Pakistan and Israel
By 2002, the USA and Russia’s joint capacity was 98% of all nuclear warheads
Nuclear capabilities ensured MAD if a nuclear war broke out
What did nuclear deterrence lead to (NPT)?
A balance of terror - most powerful evidence of the capacity of the balance of power to maintain peace and security.
Define a nuclear winter (NPT)
Theory that the smoke and dust created by nuclear explosions would extinguish the sun’s rays and dramatically lower temperatures.
What was the Strategic Arms Limited Treaty of 1972 (SALT 1)?
A bilateral treaty between US and the Soviet Union
What was the most important aspect of SALT 1?
Treaty on Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM), regulated ABM that could (theoretically) destory incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) launched by another superpower. Each side limited to only one ABM deployment area (missile launching site) and 100 interceptor missiles.
What did the ABM Treaty mean?
The implemented limitations prevented either party from developing more than a small fraction of its entire territory, hence keeping both sides subject to the deterrent effect of the other’s strategic forces.
What was the Interim Agreement of SALT 1?
Froze each side’s number of ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) at current levels for 5 years, pending negotiation of a more detailed SALT 2
What did SALT 2 of 1979 do?
Set limits on the number of strategic launchers - overall limit of around 2,400 of all such weapons systems for each side - in order to defer the time when both side’s land-based ICBM systems would be vulnerable to attack from such missiles.
