What was the doctrine of "massive retaliation"?
A) A conventional Soviet attack on an American ally might elicit an U.S. nuclear response.
B) An attack on the U.S. homeland would elicit a massive nuclear response.
C) Soviet use of tactical nuclear weapons would trigger rapid escalation to a full scale strategic response.
D) An attack on U.S. interests by communist China would be regarded by the U.S. as a Soviet attack and would trigger retaliation against the USSR.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The doctrine of "massive retaliation" was a strategy announced by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles under President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, which stated that any Soviet aggression, particularly against American allies, could lead to a massive nuclear response from the United States. This policy aimed to deter Soviet aggression by threatening overwhelming force in response to any attack.

What Was the Doctrine of "Massive Retaliation