The psychological implications of nuclear deterrence in maintaining world hegemony

Nuclear weapons have been tested thousands of times and deployed in war only twice in history. It was only necessary to use them twice in civilian population to realize their true devastating power. Since then, nuclear powers have avoided at all costs to deploy them again. The reason is quite clear, launching a nuclear attack can trigger a Mutual and Assured Destruction of the conflicting parts. Based on simulation models and with the current nuclear arsenal of major nuclear powers, a nuclear war will destroy most of the Northern Hemisphere in a lapse of 3 days, leaving at least 200million casualties.

The following video simulates nuclear war between the NATO states and Russia. An initial attack on allied NATO states would trigger an immediate retaliation that will not stop until major strategical cities are destroyed and launches finally stop.

During the initial days of the Ukraine invasion, Putin delivered a speech in which he brought up the nuclear threat, reminding NATO that the nuclear option was open. This was a strategic move that has kept NATO an inch from the Ukrainian border, proving the deterrence power of nuclear weapons.

Will Putin use launch a nuclear attach?

Launching a nuclear attack can trigger a full scale nuclear war, and immediate response from NATO countries. UK and France currently have nuclear arsenal and the U.S. has nuclear weapons across various NATO member military bases in Europe, members Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. Basically, launching a nuclear attack is a Mutual Assured Destruction, in other words it would be a global suicide. The world is in the hands of one man who could trigger a global disaster, if Putin is aware of this he would probably not use nuclear weapons but the world knowing that this is an option he has is enough to avoid any direct confrontation with Russia. Because of this, NATO countries have not done any direct intervention in Ukraine or near countries allied to Russia. Unfortunately because of this Ukraine has been left abandoned and has to deal with this issue by itself. Being a relatively small nation in comparison with the military might of Russia, most probably it would have to surrender in some way before Russia ends up destroying it completely. The world has been watching for months this unjust destruction and exile of millions of people into bordering countries. They have no option but to go with this war until the end, which will probably be a surrender. Russia is playing a war of attrition, consuming an infinite arsenal of weapons, missiles and human lives that are daily forcing Ukraine to surrender. Ukraine on the other hand is dealing with the war in a very efficient way, but unfortunately it will not last long.

It is up to Putin to say, “ok Ukraine had enough of a lesson, now let’s talk”. The effectiveness of the deterrence power of nuclear weapons is that there is always a possibility to use them and this possibility is what keeps everyone away from using them, because the moment one starts an attack and imminent response will trigger a full scale mutually destructive war that will probably last for a couple of days leaving the Northern Hemisphere destroyed.

Let’s hope common sense and human consciousness let peace prevail in the end in a world that is always at the brink of destruction.