Mutually assured destruction (MAD) is a military doctrine that asserts that the full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would result in the total annihilation of both the attacker and the defender. This concept is rooted in the belief that the threat of retaliation will prevent nuclear war, as both parties understand that escalation would lead to devastating consequences for everyone involved.
congrats on reading the definition of mutually assured destruction. now let's actually learn it.