It is interesting that you mention the US in the 1940s. After the war the allies were baldy outnumbered in Europe in terms of conventional force. Nukes were t

It is interesting that you mention the US in the 1940s. After the war the allies were baldy outnumbered in Europe in terms of conventional force. Nukes were the only way that we could possibly defend against a Soviet attack. Nowadays nukes are seen as a detterant against other nukes; a much more distant threat that becomes less plausible. As that happens I wonder if the detterant effect of nukes on conventional forces is becoming diminshed. For nukes to be a detterant adverseries need to believe that we would use them. Otherwise it is the same old sabre ratteling leading to inevitable conflict.