Why does the US need nuclear weapons?

[DieHappy]

We need them for deterrance and need to admit that this is old technology that others will inevitably get. The goal and hope is that if everyone has them, no one will use them because of the assured response.

Why isn't the goal and hope that we are the only ones with weapons and nobody else has any?

 

[Cerberus~]

I cannot imagine a remotely plausible scenario where the use of nuclear weapons would be the best course of action, morally and strategically.

The power of a nuclear arsenal isn't it's destructive force, but simply the treat, the existence of such a destructive force.

Believe it or not, nukes have probably prevented more wars than they have caused.

 

[Sleeker]

I still think it should have been tried.
What's more, I think what you did in Japan after their capitulation was wrong. I am a history enthusiast, and when I think of all the wonderful items you burnt to break the Japanese spirit...

We had two bombs at the time. We used them both to get the Emperor to assert himself and declare a surrender. If we had dropped the first on an unpopulated area, that wouldn't have shocked the Emperor into his place, and a coup d'etat would've taken place. (One was attempted the night the Emperor recorded his surrender, but was thwarted due to a black out caused my American planes.) With the coup d'etat's new government, they wouldn't have surrendered.

 

[k]

Every Empire needs to maintain superior military strength to maintain its presence.