MacNamara doctrines

Appeared in 1962, the doctrines MacNamara (or doctrines of the measured reaction ) is the line Géopolitique chosen by the the United States as regards nuclear strategy: it implies a recourse progressive and adapted to the Armes of massive destruction.

Context

From 1962, Robert MacNamara, Secretary of State in the Administration Kennedy, wants to deviate from the preceding one Doctrine Dulles, known as of the massive reprisals . If dissuasion would fail, refusing an apocalyptic nuclear strategy, he seeks a means of continuing negotiations to put an end to the conflict, even after a first use of nuclear weapons.

Principles

In the event of limited attack of the Soviet in Europe, the purpose of the doctrines were to avoid the immediate use of all the American nuclear arsenal.

But for the Soviets, the new doctrines meant the determination of the United States nevertheless to use their nuclear weapons like means of destruction and either like instrument of dissuasion.

In addition, Europeans also saw there a risk of decoupling between the United States and Europe: in the event of invasion of the troops of the Warsaw Pact in West Germany, the United States would have especially the concern of not putting in danger their territory and their population, and would be ready to release Europeans, while refusing to use their strategic arsenal to come to them to assistance.

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