Low Intensity vs High Intensity Warfare - Channelling Zombie Bob MacNamara

[grumbler]

Anyway, I was being a little facetious, but McNamara shook up a stupid nuclear weapons policy and helped guide the crafting of nuclear war plans that, while horrible, didn't have to be apocalyptic.  He got a lot of flak for that, and there's a certain amount of logic to the criticism, but if nuclear war had come, I'd have rather my leaders have constructed methods of limiting or ending the conflict at a level short of "complete exhaustion of nuclear stockpiles or total destruction of all major population centers."

I would argue that McNamara did, as you say, shake up the nuclear weapons policies of both sides, though I think the most important effect of his rational exploration of nuclear weapons policy was to show just how fucking frightening any contemplated use of nuke could become.

I'd argue that the French doctrine on nuclear weapons made his doctrines useless and even pointless, but that wasn't so well known at the time.

[CountDeMoney]

I'd argue that the French doctrine on nuclear weapons made his doctrines useless and even pointless, but that wasn't so well known at the time.

And even now, unlike the US who has yet to come out and make it official policy, the French have made it quite clear that their nuclear deterrent is a viable retaliatory option for all means of weapons of mass destruction.  And they have had no aversion to reinstituting the policy of the warning shot.

The French are just so damned cool sometimes.

[mongers]

I'd argue that the French doctrine on nuclear weapons made his doctrines useless and even pointless, but that wasn't so well known at the time.

And even now, unlike the US who has yet to come out and make it official policy, the French have made it quite clear that their nuclear deterrent is a viable retaliatory option for all means of weapons of mass destruction.  And they have had no aversion to reinstituting the policy of the warning shot.

The French are just so damned cool sometimes.

Yes, the notion of those Plutons on a hair trigger if anything Red should reach the far bank of the Rhine. 

[Zoupa]

I'd argue that the French doctrine on nuclear weapons made his doctrines useless and even pointless, but that wasn't so well known at the time.

And even now, unlike the US who has yet to come out and make it official policy, the French have made it quite clear that their nuclear deterrent is a viable retaliatory option for all means of weapons of mass destruction.  And they have had no aversion to reinstituting the policy of the warning shot.

The French are just so damned cool sometimes.

Yes, the notion of those Plutons on a hair trigger if anything Red should reach the far bank of the Rhine. 

I'm pretty sure they'd be nuked crossing the Oder, not the Rhine. Plus you get the added benefit of fucking up a piece of Lebensraum.

[Razgovory]

Anyway, I was being a little facetious, but McNamara shook up a stupid nuclear weapons policy and helped guide the crafting of nuclear war plans that, while horrible, didn't have to be apocalyptic.  He got a lot of flak for that, and there's a certain amount of logic to the criticism, but if nuclear war had come, I'd have rather my leaders have constructed methods of limiting or ending the conflict at a level short of "complete exhaustion of nuclear stockpiles or total destruction of all major population centers."

I would argue that McNamara did, as you say, shake up the nuclear weapons policies of both sides, though I think the most important effect of his rational exploration of nuclear weapons policy was to show just how fucking frightening any contemplated use of nuke could become.

I'd argue that the French doctrine on nuclear weapons made his doctrines useless and even pointless, but that wasn't so well known at the time.

When did the French adopt that doctrine anyway?  After 1964?