1. A position whereby the United States and the USSR - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - would in a nuclear war, be able to destroy each other with their arsenals of nuclear weapons. Each maintaining the possibility to strike the other even if one party fired first. The phrase mutually assured destruction thereby implies that both parties assumed the ability to strike and destroy the other. A catastrophic eventuality if it ever arose. Both parties thus maintained this position, assuring each other than nuclear weapons would not be used, even if a conventional war broke out. The downfall of the Soviet system and emergence of the Russian federation did not make a nuclear war ineffectual, rather it maintains that the two parties still have the capability - and underscores the fact that a nuclear war between these nuclear giants is an inevitability.
2. While this term is specifically used to term the USA and Russia, it may also be applied to China as the latter has built an intercontinental ballistic arsenal that would be deployable if the USA and China ever faced off.
2. While this term is specifically used to term the USA and Russia, it may also be applied to China as the latter has built an intercontinental ballistic arsenal that would be deployable if the USA and China ever faced off.
by situationst September 2, 2003
Where two guys face each other, wanking off, and try to have both ejaculates collide in mid-air, thus averting catastrophe.
by Big Pawel April 20, 2008
teachers call it MAD
when two countries come to an understanding that if one country launches an attack the other will retaliate with equal force
when two countries come to an understanding that if one country launches an attack the other will retaliate with equal force
by Doughboy September 2, 2003
Difficult to define exactly, but it's not the actual *name* of a situation or doctrine. Rather, it describes the outcome of a given action in the circumstances:
In the case of the US and USSR, their shared determination to retaliate to an attack by the other - given the size of their nuclear arsenals - would've assured mutual destruction.
by Richter September 20, 2003
The outrightly suicidal strategy of nations protecting themselves from nuclear (or, in more recent days, chemical or biological) attack by preparing enough weapons to reduce the attacking country to rubble even as they are themselves wiped out.
Basically, if you're going to be screwed over, make sure the rest of the world is, too.
Basically, if you're going to be screwed over, make sure the rest of the world is, too.
During the Cold War, the US and the USSR built massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons while following a strategy of mutually assured destruction
by Sparky August 31, 2003
The almost certain scenario that would occur after nuclear war. It says that the opposing forces would be utterly anihilated, leaving the Earth an uninhabitable, radioactive wasteland.
by ZephyrAnima August 31, 2003
(MAD) The Cold War strategic doctrine which made all-out nuclear war the only possibility for war between the super-power blocs (US & USSR). Like it or not (and who would?), it worked, at least in preventing the use nuclear weapons in war.
by lazarus51 September 1, 2003