Nuclear Proliferation

In his statement to the North Atlantic Council, Dulles' states that nuclear weapons must be treated as being conventional weapons. His argument is that the defense of Europe against a potential Soviet invasion is only feasible through the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Soviet land forces because of the Soviet Union's superior numbers. Dulles states that the United States will use atomic weapons whenever it is to the military advantage of the US. He argues that such a stance is the only way to prevent aggression, to make the aggressor beleive he has nothing to gain by attacking.

This position is dangerous as it means the US would be the first to use nuclear weapons, resulting in an escalation of the situation and an almost certain retaliation. It would seem illogical to use nuclear weapons when retaliation would be the main result, but the very willingness to use nuclear weapons is what makes assured destruction work. In this sense, Dulles' logic is correct, the willingness to use nuclear weapons may have terrible results, but it also makes aggression less likely.

The effect nuclear weapons has had on the public perception towards war is quite large. Prime Minister Eden notes how the development of thermonuclear weapons and the growing awareness among the populace that any war in which nuclear weapons are used would be devastating is making people less likely to accept war or the maintenance of a large conventional military force. The terrible nature of nuclear weapons and the fact that they can be used as a substitution for conventional forces makes it possible to have a smaller military, and Eden predicts that this is what the public will demand.

Eden doesn't necessarily agree with this, but he does believe that the development of thermonuclear weapons has changed the dynamic in Europe and that a land invasion is no longer the greatest threat. This is a interesting idea, but I'm not sure how much history confirms it. In general, most populations are more reluctant to support a war or large conventional military forces, but I'm not sure how much of this is actually due to the development of nuclear weapons.