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AP US History
Unit 8 – The Postwar Period and Cold War, 1945–1980
Topic 8.2
Why did President Kennedy adopt a policy of flexible response instead of massive retaliation during his administration?
Kennedy thought that massive retaliation would lead to immediate global nuclear war.
He believed massive retaliation was not an effective deterrent against Soviet advancement.
He wanted multiple options for responding to Soviet aggression beyond just nuclear war.
Flexible response allowed for negotiations with other communist countries apart from USSR.
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AP US History - 8.2 The Cold War from 1945 to 1980
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Massive retaliation
Policy of flexible response
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About Fiveable
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CCPA Privacy Policy
Resources
Cram Mode
AP Score Calculators
Study Guides
Practice Quizzes
Glossary
Crisis Text Line
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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.
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