U.S. Nuclear Strategy

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

This course examines the development of U.S. nuclear policy and strategy during the Cold War and its application today. Students study Cold War concepts of nuclear deterrence and strategy, arms control, nuclear proliferation, and ballistic missile defense as a foundation for assessing current United States strategic policy. Students will assess the role of nuclear weapons (and other capabilities) in deterring regional conflicts with Russia, China, and North Korea and will consider whether the current U.S. nuclear strategy and forces are adequate for the emerging tripolar nuclear system involving the United States, Russia, and China. Understanding the process by which nuclear and missile defense strategies and policies are developed and implemented is also a feature of this course. Through a tabletop exercise, students are exposed to decision-making during a crisis involving the use of nuclear weapons. An understanding of nuclear deterrence and its relationship to strategy provides students a foundation for assessing contemporary debates about the role of nuclear deterrence, arms control, and missile defense in U.S. national security.