Talk:Nuclear warfare

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Types of nuclear warfare

Great lack of citations within this section. Another discussed type of nuclear warfare was discussed during cold war: A decapitation attack (german: Enthauptungsschlag; don't know if the term is exacly decapitation attack) by a country (USA). Theory: A preventive, simultaneous attack with a huge amount of atomic warheads resulting in a country (soviet union) being incapable of reaction. This was discussed in the 50s and early 60s, when the soviet union had no or few nuclear warheads (and of course before the submarine-based missle era). This szenario was created in the fear that the soviet union will soon have nuclear weapons, too. (citations needed; I think I read about this in a DER SPIEGEL History magazine; should be citable somewhere). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.77.86.34 (talk) 23:27, 29 November 2010 (UTC)

Stalin and his project of banning the atomic bombs

There is no reference to this in the current article, here is the reference:

http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1951/10/06.htm —Preceding unsigned comment added by 190.232.1.97 (talk) 07:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)

GREAT article. thanks for sharing —Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.140.117.171 (talk) 21:09, 6 June 2010 (UTC)

Wars between nuclear powers

In the Post-Cold War section the article contains this description of the Kargil War between India and Pakistan: "It remains the only war between two declared nuclear powers." The Sino-Soviet border conflict of 1969 definitely was a war between two nuclear powers. Should the description be changed or was China at this point an undeclared nuclear power? I can't find direct confirmation one way or another. But China tested its first nuke in 1964, so I imagine within 5 years they became a declared nuclear power. 71.201.243.242 (talk) 21:01, 27 May 2009 (UTC)

India did not test its first nuclear weapon till 1974, in the Smiling Buddha test. NW (Talk) ^{(How am I doing?)} 21:27, 27 May 2009 (UTC)

Section: 1970s [Edit War]

Someone don't want to see this text in the article and is always deleting it:

The US also made a point during this period of targeting their missiles on Soviet population centers rather than military targets. If the Soviets attacked first, then there would be no point in destroying empty missile silos that had already launched; the only thing left to hit would be cities. By contrast, if the US had gone to great lengths to protect their citizens and targeted the enemy's silos, that might have led the Russians to believe the US was planning a first strike, where they would eliminate Soviet missiles while still in their silos and be able to survive a weakened counter attack in their reinforced bunkers. In this way, both sides were (theoretically) assured that the other would not strike first, and a war without a first strike will not occur.

Can someone find references to clear the situation? -- Grochim (talk) 07:08, 28 October 2009 (UTC)

Section: 1980s [Edit War]

Following is incorrect as the Able Archer happened in 83 as the Cuban missile crisis occured much earlier in 1962. I will remove it if no one has objection to it.

"The world came unusually close to nuclear war (although perhaps not as close as during the Cuban Missile Crisis) when the Soviet Union thought the NATO military exercise Able Archer 83 was a cover up to begin a nuclear strike. The Soviets responded by readying their nuclear arsenal. Soviet fears of an attack went away once the exercise concluded without incident." — Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.203.96.241 (talk) 19:06, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

Addition to accidental nuclear war

In cosmos, carl sagan discusses the possibility of a Tunguska like event which could accidentally trigger a nuclear war. Basically a comet fell in Russia in early 20th century, and carl sagan mentioned that such an event can be misinterpreted for a nuclear war. 115.242.75.145 (talk) 19:31, 11 May 2010 (UTC)