Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy

Henry Kissinger's Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy (1957) advocated for a "flexible response" strategy, moving away from the idea of "massive retaliation". This approach suggested combining tactical nuclear weapons with conventional forces, allowing for a more nuanced response to potential Soviet aggression during the Cold War.1

The concept of "limited nuclear options" (LNO) emerged from this, envisioning a direct confrontation between superpowers that wouldn't necessarily result in total annihilation. LNO aimed to shift targeting from cities to military installations to limit destruction and maintain communication. While critics argued this made nuclear strikes more permissible, the Cold War ended without a large-scale nuclear conflict. The book established Kissinger as an authority on U.S. strategic policy.21