The accidents and near misses show that MAD worked. People were reluctant to pull the final trigger because they knew the outcome would be catastrophic. Despite

The accidents and near misses show that MAD worked. People were reluctant to pull the final trigger because they knew the outcome would be catastrophic. Despite decades of serious diplomatic incidents, misunderstandings, and mishaps, there was no nuclear holocaust: this was exactly the outcome that MAD promised, and delivered.