Question

When did NATO adopt flexible response and how would this affect nuclear war?

a) NATO adopted flexible response in the 1950s, leading to a more strategic approach to nuclear war.
b) NATO adopted flexible response in the 1970s, increasing the likelihood of nuclear conflict.
c) NATO never adopted flexible response, maintaining a strict nuclear deterrence policy.
d) Flexible response allowed NATO to de-escalate nuclear conflict, reducing its intensity.

Answer 1

NATO adopted the flexible response in the early 1960s, which allowed for a range of military options beyond nuclear warfare, thus potentially de-escalating conflicts and reducing the intensity of nuclear confrontations.

Step-by-step explanation:

NATO adopted the flexible response strategy during the presidency of John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s, specifically in 1961. This strategy represented a significant shift in defense policy from the previously established approach of massive retaliation.

The flexible response allowed for a range of military responses to be used in the event of a conflict, including conventional, limited nuclear, or large-scale nuclear response. The development of a more varied military strategy was meant to enhance deterrence by providing the United States and NATO with the ability to respond appropriately to different levels of aggression without directly resorting to massive nuclear retaliation.

The impact of adopting a flexible response to nuclear war would be best characterized as reducing the intensity of nuclear conflict, as it provided other options beyond an all-or-nothing approach. Instead of escalating straight to nuclear war, NATO could now engage with a proportionate response, potentially de-escalating conflicts. Therefore, the correct answer is d) Flexible response allowed NATO to de-escalate nuclear conflict, reducing its intensity.