Operation Inconceivable: Attacking the Soviet Union [Outline]

Thesis: Americans expected to out damage and defeat the Soviet Union in the advent of a preventative war.

       I.         Cold War background – explain

     II.         M.A.D.

A.     Definition

1.     “Any act of nuclear aggression by one party would trigger a retaliation that would destroy both.” – Oxford References

B.     Problems

1.     Human tenacity

2.     Previous declarations of end of Human civilization untrue

    III.         Deterrence

A.     Definition

1.     “The persuasion of one’s opponents that the costs and/or risks of a given course of action outweigh the benefits.” – Encyclopedia of Military Science

B.     Problems

1.     Basic assumption of automatic retaliation

2.     Heavy reliance on ideals of deterrence neglect necessary war preparations

    IV.         War Preparations

A.    Air defense à prevent free ride and stop small strikes

B.     Civil defense à life preservation

     V.         US Advantages

A.     Early Nuclear Capabilities à Testing and stockpiling

B.     Decentralized authority

C.     Wealth

D.     Early nuclear sub development

E.     Quality – “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.”

    VI.         SU Advantages

A.     Large and vast land mass

B.     More numerous armed forces

C.     Centralized command

D.     Early missile development

E.     Quantity – “Quantity has a quality all of its own.”

  VII.         War Breaks Out

A.     US defends itself

B.     US defends nations under attack by Soviet Union – (ex. Yugoslavia)

 VIII.         War Carried Out

A.     Nuclear weapons galore

B.     First Strike Needed

                       1.         Strike at military targets first with heavy firepower to prevent return fire

C.     Ground forces accompanying (contested by Kahn)

D.     Psychological “winning minds” propaganda campaign

                       1.         Propaganda leaflets

                       2.         Open messages and annoucnements

    IX.         War Concluded

A.     Not aiming for unconditional surrender

B.     Liberation of peoples

Self development