What concept does Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) refer to?

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) refers specifically to a nuclear deterrence strategy formulated during the Cold War. The principle behind MAD is that if two opposing sides both possess nuclear capabilities, then the prospect of a full-scale nuclear war would lead to the total annihilation of both the attacker and the defender. This stalemate effectively discourages either side from initiating a conflict, as the catastrophic consequences outweigh any potential gains from such an action.

This approach played a crucial role in maintaining a tense but stable peace between the superpowers, particularly the United States and the Soviet Union, as each side understood that launching a nuclear attack would result in a devastating retaliation. Thus, MAD served as a critical component in the strategic calculations of military leaders and policy makers during the latter half of the 20th century.