In Wyoming, we’re acutely aware of the existence of nuclear weapons. Just to the east of Cheyenne lies F.E Warren Air Force base, home to 150 Minuteman III ICBMs, each equipped with a warhead roughly 20x more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima. Their destructive potential is limitless, and their existence has been opined and despised by pacifists since their inception. But what if I told you, counterintuitively, that these weapons were responsible for the saving of millions of lives throughout history? I’d wager the statement would be taken as being somewhat controversial, but let me explain.
During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union had every reason in the world to initiate total war with one another. Myriads of diplomatic incidents took place every year that at any other point in history would’ve been resolved with nations taking to the battlefield. So why didn’t we? Why haven’t we had World War 3, 4, and 5 now, judging by the timelines of the first and second World Wars? The answer is simple: fear of nuclear annihilation.
In every one of these scenarios, the potential outcome of failed negotiations was not a war that would likely be far off from the politicians, no, it was a war that would’ve affected them very dearly. As a result, in each instance, peace has prevailed, even during heated incidents such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and Able Archer. Nuclear weapons force the people making the decisions about whether to go to war to consider the fact that their lives may be upended if they go through with the radical option. This fact makes nuclear weapons incredibly important for the stability of our modern world.
And yet, constantly, people protest them and wish they didn’t exist. They have a point that nuclear weapons are truly horrific weapons, potentially millions will perish if they’re ever used on a large scale. But just by existing, and not being used, they’ve saved millions of lives by preventing massive wars between the great powers of the world. I suppose this raises a conundrum; is the potential risk worth the reward?
I will maintain that yes, it is. We’ve gone nearly 80 years without a major war erupting, which puts us as being better off than nearly any other point in history. While people may point out that this is the result of increasing globalization and cooperation between nations, what caused this initial cooperation? And what causes it to continue? If the rest of human history is any indication, it’s not the kindness in our hearts.
In the end, the long peace we’ve experienced may owe its strength to an unlikely, but vital source. While nuclear weapons are potentially immensely destructive, their presence has compelled world leaders to pursue caution, dialogue, and restraint, preserving peace for almost an entire century.
