Q&A · 1:37:34-1:37:58

NATO escalation after Soviet chemical warfare

Soviet chemical use could provoke nuclear retaliation under the deterrence logic described here.

Chemical Warfare Cold War NATO Nuclear Strategy Soviet Union

Question

Would NATO answer Soviet chemical weapons in kind or escalate to nuclear weapons?

Short answer

The stated logic pointed toward nuclear escalation because most NATO powers did not officially maintain chemical weapons for retaliation in kind.

Notes

The expected response to Soviet chemical warfare was nuclear retaliation. The reasoning rests on most NATO members officially lacking chemical weapons for a response in kind.