The Fragile Balance of Terror: Deterrence in the New Nuclear Age

Authors

• John William Sutcliffe IV, U.S. Strategic Command

Abstract

This book review assesses The Fragile Balance of Terror: Deterrence in the New Nuclear Age, edited by Vipin Narang and Scott D. Sagan, which reconsiders nuclear deterrence in a strategic environment that differs substantially from the Cold War. The volume addresses both new and enduring challenges, including multipolar nuclear competition, personalist regimes, social media, open-source intelligence, evolving definitions of nuclear sufficiency, advances in counterforce capabilities, regional command-and-control practices, and assumptions about nuclear learning. The reviewer highlights the book’s use of diverse historical and contemporary case studies to show how deterrence can be undermined by miscalculation, political context, information dynamics, and differing national strategies. He finds the volume especially valuable for demonstrating that nuclear stability cannot be assumed simply because states possess nuclear weapons. While noting that the book gives limited attention to emerging delivery systems such as hypersonic glide vehicles and other advanced technologies, the reviewer concludes that it is an important contribution to deterrence scholarship and a useful resource for military professionals, policymakers, and academics seeking to understand the growing complexity and fragility of nuclear deterrence in the 21st century.