question_answer

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

In the event of a nuclear war, both sides will be so badly harmed that it will be impossible to declare one side or the other as the winner, even if one of them tries to attack and disable the nuclear weapons of its rival, the other would still be left with enough nuclear weapons to inflict unacceptable destruction. Both sides have the capacity to retaliate against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war. Thus, the cold war - inspite of being an   intense form of rivalry between great powers - remained a 'cold' and not hot or shooting war. The deterrence relationship prevents war but not the rivalry between powers.

(i) Why did intense rivalry between the super powers remain a cold war only?

(ii) Why can't a nuclear war between the two nuclear powers be decisive?

(iii) Explain the logic of 'deterrence'.

 

Answer:

(i) Both sides have the capacity to retaliate against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war. Thus the cold war - inspite of being an intense form of rivalry between great powers - remained a ?cold? and not the shooting war.

(ii) In the event of nuclear war, both sides will be so badly harmed that it will be impossible to declare one side or the other as winner, even if one of them tries to attack and disable the nuclear weapons of its rival, the other would still be left with enough nuclear weapons to inflict unacceptable destructions.

(iii) When two superpowers and the blocs led by them are in a ?deterrence? relationship, war will be massively destructive.