On the Post-Cold War NATO Nuclear Strategy

After the end of the Cold War, NATO’s nuclear strategy has undergone a process of evolution, so far can be divided into three phases: dissuasion strategy stage, deter war strategy stage and linkage strategy stage and similar to nuclear strategy of other nuclear-weapon states. The NATO nuclear strategy has five specific policy components: policy on statement, policy on development, policy on deployment, policy on using nuclear arms and policies on nuclear arms control. Factors impacting NATO’s nuclear strategy is multifaceted, in which strategic environment faced by NATO and NATO‘s internal debate on its major nuclear strategy are most influential, and besides the United States plays a leading role in the development of NATO’s nuclear strategy.