PAUL H. NITZE

Essential Question:

Was Paul Nitze too much of a 'doomsdayer' or is he the unsung hero of the cold war?

A Quick Introduction to Paul Nitze

Please enjoy this video as a brief introduction to Paul Nitze's accomplishments. Further details will be discovered throughout the website.

A Confirmed Pessimist?

“Perhaps we shall have to face war. We hope it will be possible to maintain the peace. But we shall not cease striving as we can for a world in which governments generally are responsive not only to the needs and interests of their own people but to the needs and interest of mankind as a whole”- Nitze [1].

Need to Know Terms:

Cold War: The period following WWII up until the collapse of the U.S.S.R. in 1991, this was a period full of tension between the two superpowers (U.S>. and U.S.S.R.), but never direct war between the two.
U.S.S.R: The abbreviation for the Soviet Union.
Nuclear Weapon: An explosive device capable of mass destruction, first used by the U.S. at the end of WWII.
First-Strike Capability: An attack on a state's nuclear arsenal that effectively dismantles it and prevent a retaliatory strike.
Second-Strike Capability: After being attacked by a nuclear missile, the state is still able to retaliate and cause effective damage on the enemy.
ABM: Anti-Ballistic Missile, a device designed to counter an in-flight nuclear weapon from reaching its target.
SALT I & II: Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, two sets of negotiations between the U.S. and U.S.S.R regarding nuclear arms control
INF: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force treaty, this treaty banned land-based, intermediate-range missiles for both Superpowers
SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as 'Star Wars', Reagan's idea of a space-based ABM.
START: Strategic Arms Reduction Talks, Reagan rebranded the SALT talks under a new name.

About the Author:

Madison Littlepage is a senior International Studies major, who built this website for U.S. Diplomatic History with Professor Pinsker.

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