What is Mutual Assured Destruction?

Josh and Chuck dive into the Cold War doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), exploring how two superpowers with enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world several times over managed to avoid actually using them. The hosts examine terrifying close calls like the Cuban Missile Crisis and computer glitches that nearly triggered nuclear war, while breaking down the game theory and psychology behind why the threat of total annihilation actually kept the peace. It's a fascinating look at one of the most paradoxical strategies in human history - where having the power to end civilization became the very thing that prevented it.