John dulles massive retaliation

Military doctrine focusing on using more force in retaliation to an attack

Not to be confused with Dulles' Plan.

For the 1984 American film, see Massive Retaliation (film).

Massive retaliation, also known as a massive response or massive deterrence, is a military doctrine and nuclear strategy in which a state commits itself to retaliate in much greater force in the event of an attack.

It is associated with the U.S. national security policy of the Eisenhower administration during the early stages of the Cold War.

Strategy

See also: Mutually assured destruction

In the event of an attack from an aggressor, a state would massively retaliate by using a force disproportionate to the size of the attack.

The aim of massive retaliation is to deter another state from attacking first. For such a strategy to work, it must be made public knowledge to all possible aggressors. The aggressor also must believe that the state announcing the policy has the abi