Mutually assured destruction (MAD) is a military strategy that emerged during the Cold War. It is based on the idea that if two opposing sides possess enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other, neither side will initiate a conflict. The fear of total annihilation acts as a deterrent against nuclear war. In this framework, both sides maintain a credible threat of retaliation. For example, if Country A launches a nuclear attack on Country B, Country B would respond with its own nuclear weapons, leading to catastrophic consequences for both. This balance of power aims to prevent large-scale wars.