Relative Military Practicality and Nuclear Non-Use: The Evidence from the Korean War

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, understanding why nuclear weapons have remained unused in conflicts since 1945 has become increasingly critical. This paper aims to shed light on the role played by the military in the emergence of the tradition of nuclear non-use. Existing scholarship has highlighted instances where the lack of military utility explains the absence of nuclear weapon deployment. Additionally, recent experimental research has underscored how public attitudes toward nuclear weapons are influenced by perceptions of military necessity. Despite acknowledging the significance of military considerations, a nuanced understanding of the military's contribution to the history of nuclear non-use remains limited. This paper utilizes original declassified records from the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Korean War to address this gap. By analyzing these valuable sources, it argues that military-specific factors, shaped by the unique circumstances on the Korean battlefield and the technological realities of the early 1950s, played a decisive role in the formative period of the tradition of nuclear non-use.