How did Dr. Strangelove portray the dangers of the Cold War arms race?

Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb portrays the dangers of the Cold War arms race through biting satire and farce. While initially conceived as a serious drama, Kubrick shifted the tone to highlight the absurdity and catastrophic potential of nuclear brinkmanship.12

The film illustrates the peril of the arms race by focusing on a "doomsday scenario" initiated by a deranged U.S. general. It critiques the concept of nuclear deterrence—specifically the theories of Herman Kahn—by depicting a situation where military and government leaders are rendered powerless to stop the destruction they helped set in motion. By presenting characters who are unable to control the automated systems of annihilation, the film underscores the terrifying reality that human error, obsession, and rigid military doctrines could lead to global extinction. Ultimately, the film serves as a powerful, nihilistic warning about the inherent instability of a world governed by the threat of mutually assured destruction.312