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Highest defcon level in history
Highest defcon level in history













Suggesting that early nuclear use could be close to a last move, Assistant Secretary of Defense Paul Nitze pointed to the terrible risks: the “dangers of preemption will multiply” once “nuclear bargaining” had begun. During a discussion of contingency planning published today for the first time, a French diplomat argued that nuclear demonstration shots would send a message to the Soviets without triggering “all-out war.” Doing so “would bring to bear in Moscow the idea that their next move may be their last.” A West German official took a similar position. and its European allies disagreed over whether using nuclear weapons could signal resolve and deter war in a crisis over access to West Berlin. One of them, the Berlin Crisis, vexed two presidents from late 1958 into the early 1960s while it never broke into open conflict with Moscow, it had worrisome potential to turn into a nuclear conflagration. The tensions in East Asia and the Middle East, and elsewhere that led to crises, alerts, and shows of force during the 1950s continued into the 1960s and 1970s. * * * * * Crises, Alerts, and DEFCONS, 1961-1976 – Part II by William Burr The collection begins with the Berlin Crisis of 1961-1962 and concludes with the 1976 confrontation with North Korea over a deadly tree-trimming incident at the Demilitarized Zone. Such military operations amounted to business as usual for a global power with worldwide security and economic interests and a range of alliance commitments. strategic forces were alerted or when strategic bombers and aircraft carrier task forces were used for shows of force. crisis responses during the 1960s and 1970s when U.S. The substance of the July 1962 discussion is one of the revelations in today’s publication, the second of a two-part collection documenting U.S. strategic forces to DEFCON 2, the highest level of force readiness short of a decision to go to war. Just weeks after this discussion, Moscow and Washington found themselves on the verge of a dangerous confrontation over missile deployments in Cuba that brought U.S. The Allies would be on “very unpredictable ground when we have gone this far.” Suggesting that early nuclear use could amount to a last move, Assistant Secretary of Defense Paul Nitze demurred, pointing to the terrible risks: the “dangers of preemption will multiply” once “nuclear bargaining” had begun. Washington, D.C., Ap– The United States and its European allies disagreed over the advisability of using nuclear weapons to signal resolve and deter war if a serious crisis with Moscow over West Berlin broke out, according to a review of declassified records posted today by the nongovernmental National Security Archive.ĭuring a July 1962 Allied discussion of contingency planning, published today for the first time, a French diplomat argued that nuclear demonstration shots would send a message to the Soviets without triggering “all-out war.” Doing so “would bring to bear in Moscow the idea that their next move may be their last.” A West German official took a similar position. FOIA Advisory Committee Oversight Reports.Air Force.Ĭlick here to return to the Cold War Gallery. Throughout the Cold War, people and governments feared going to DEFCON 1 because it meant nuclear war, but that level was never reached - in large part because of the deterrence to aggression provided by the U.S. Armed Forces went to DEFCON 2 - the second highest level. The seriousness of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 was demonstrated when the U.S. Based upon the severity of a crisis, this readiness ranges from DEFCON 5, the normal peacetime level, to DEFCON 1, when an imminent enemy attack is expected. Armed Forces measure their level of readiness during military situations by Defense Readiness Condition (DEFCON). Air Force helped bring this conflict to a peaceful end. The ever-present threat of nuclear weapons made this period the most dangerous one in world history, but the diligent efforts of the men and women of the U.S. This confrontation grew out of the clash between the ideologies of the Western democracies led by the United States - and the communist nations led by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The Cold War dominated the second half of the 20th century.















Highest defcon level in history