text:
Mutual assured destruction
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"Mutually assured destruction" redirects here. For the episode of The Americans, see Mutually Assured Destruction (The Americans).
Aftermath of the atomic bomb explosion over Hiroshima, August 6, 1945
Part of a series on
War
History[show]
Prehistoric
Ancient
Post-classical
Early Modern
Late Modern
Industrial
Fourth-Gen
Battlespace[show]
Air
Cyber
Information
Land
Sea
Space
Weapons[show]
Armor
Artillery
Biological
Cavalry
Chemical
Conventional
Cyber
Electronic
Infantry
Nuclear
Psychological
Unconventional
Tactics[show]
Aerial
Battle
Cavalry
Charge
Counterattack
Counter-insurgency
Cover
Foxhole
Guerrilla warfare
Morale
Siege
Swarming
Tactical objective
Trench warfare
Operational[show]
Blitzkrieg
Deep operation
Maneuver warfare
Operational manoeuvre group
Strategy[show]
Attrition
Counter-offensive
Deception
Defensive
Goal
Naval
Offensive
Grand strategy[show]
Containment
Economic warfare
Limited war
Military science
Philosophy of war
Strategic studies
Total war
Organization[show]
Command and control
Doctrine
Education and training
Engineers
Intelligence
Ranks
Staff
Technology and equipment
Logistics[show]
Arms industry
Materiel
Supply chain management
Related[show]
Asymmetric warfare
Broken-Backed War Theory
Court-martial
Cold war
Deterrence theory
Horses in warfare
Irregular warfare
Law of war
Mercenary
Military campaign
Military operation
Network-centric warfare
Operations research
Principles of war
Proxy war
Religious war
Theater
Tripwire force
War crime
War film
War game
War novel
Wartime sexual violence
Women in war
World war
Colonial war
Lists[show]
Battles
Military occupations
Military tactics
Operations
Sieges
War crimes
Wars
Weapons
Writers
v
t
e
Mutual assured destruction or mutually assured destruction (MAD) is a doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender (see pre-emptive nuclear strike and second strike).[1] It is based on the theory of deterrence, which holds that the threat of using strong weapons against the enemy prevents the enemy's use of those same weapons. The strategy is a form of Nash equilibrium in which, once armed, neither side has any incentive to initiate a conflict or to disarm.
Contents
[hide]
1 Theory
2 History
2.1 Pre-1945
2.2 Early Cold War
2.3 Two doomsday devices
2.4 Strategic Air Command
2.5 Retaliation capability (second strike)
2.6 ABMs threaten MAD
2.7 MIRVs
2.7.1 MIRVs as counter against ABM
2.7.2 Land-based MIRVed ICBMs threaten MAD
2.8 Late Cold War
2.9 Post-Cold War
3 Official policy
4 Criticism
4.1 The doctrine of nuclear deterrence depends on several challengeable assumptions
4.2 Nuclear Weapons are Morally Indefensible, Oxford Union debate, 1985
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Theory[edit]
This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (October 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Under MAD, each side has enough nuclear weaponry to destroy the other side and that either side, if attacked for any reason by the other, would retaliate without fail with equal or greater force. The expected result is an immediate, irreversible escalation of hostilities resulting in both combatants' mutual, total, and assured destruction. The doctrine requires that neither side construct shelters on a massive scale.[2] If one side constructed a similar system of shelters, it would violate the MAD doctrine and destabilize the situation, because it would not have to fear the consequences of a second strike.[3][4] The same principle is invoked against missile defense.
The doctrine further assumes that neither side will dare to launch a first strike because the other side would launch on warning (also called fail-deadly) or with surviving forces (a second strike), resulting in unacceptable losses for both parties. The payoff of the MAD doctrine was and still is expected to be a tense but stable global peace.
The primary application of this doctrine started during the Cold War (1940s to 1991), in which MAD was seen as helping to prevent any direct full-scale conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union while they engaged in smaller proxy wars around the world. It was also responsible for the arms race, as both nations struggled to keep nuclear parity, or at least retain second-strike capability. Although the Cold War ended in the early 1990s, the MAD doctrine continues to be applied.
Proponents of MAD as part of U.S. and USSR strategic doctrine believed that nuclear war could best be prevented if neither side could expect to survive a full-scale nuclear exchange as a functioning state. Since the credibility of the threat is critical to such assurance, each side had to invest substantial capital in their nuclear arsenals even if they were not intended for use. In addition, neither side could be expected or allowed to adequately defend itself against the other's nuclear missiles.[citation needed] This led both to the hardening and diversification of nuclear delivery systems (such as nuclear missile silos, ballistic missile submarines, and nuclear bombers kept at fail-safe points) and to the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
This MAD scenario is often referred to as nuclear deterrence. The term "deterrence" is now used in this context[5]; originally, its use was limited to legal terminology[6].[citation needed]
History[edit]
Pre-1945[edit]
One of the earliest references to the concept comes from the English author Wilkie Collins, writing at the time of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870: "I begin to believe in only one civilizing influence—the discovery one of these days of a destructive agent so terrible that War shall mean annihilation and men's fears will force them to keep the peace."[7]
Richard Jordan Gatling patented his namesake rotary gun in 1862 with the partial intention of illustrating the futility of war.[8]
After his 1867 invention of dynamite, Alfred Nobel stated that "The day when two army corps can annihilate each other in one second, all civilized nations, it is to be hoped, will recoil from war and discharge their troops."[9]
Jan Gotlib Bloch in The Future of War, published in 1898, argued that the state could not fight a war "under modern conditions with any prospect of being able to carry that war to a conclusion by defeating its adversary by force of arms on the battlefield. No decisive war is possible that will not entail even upon the victorious Power, the destruction of its resources and the breakup of society. War has therefore become impossible, except at the price of suicide."[10]
In 1937, Nikola Tesla published The Art of Projecting Concentrated Non-dispersive Energy through the Natural Media,[11] a treatise concerning charged particle beam weapons.[12] Tesla described his device as a "superweapon that would put an end to all war."
In March 1940, the Frisch–Peierls memorandum anticipated deterrence as the principal means of combating an enemy with nuclear weapons.[13]
Early Cold War[edit]
Atomic bomb explosions over Hiroshima, Japan, 6 August 1945 (left) and over Nagasaki, Japan, 9 August 1945 (right).
In August 1945, the United States accepted the surrender of Japan after the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Four years later, on August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union detonated its own nuclear device. At the time, both sides lacked the means to effectively use nuclear devices against each other. However, with the development of aircraft like the American Convair B-36 and the Soviet Tupolev Tu-95, both sides were gaining a greater ability to deliver nuclear weapons into the interior of the opposing country. The official nuclear policy of the United States became one of "massive retaliation", as coined by President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, which called for massive attack against the Soviet Union if they were to invade Europe, regardless of whether it was a conventional or a nuclear attack.[citation needed]
By the time of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, both the United States and the Soviet Union had developed the capability of launching a nuclear-tipped missile from a submerged submarine, which completed the third leg of the nuclear triad weapons strategy necessary to fully implement the MAD doctrine. Having a three-branched nuclear capability eliminated the possibility that an enemy could destroy all of a nation's nuclear forces in a first-strike attack; this, in turn, ensured the credible threat of a devastating retaliatory strike against the aggressor, increasing a nation's nuclear deterrence.[14][15][16]
Two doomsday devices[edit]
The RAND corporation futurist and cold war strategist Herman Kahn (1922–1982) believed that although MAD was useful as a metaphor, when pushed to its logical conclusion it became absurd. In his 1960 book On Thermonuclear War he advocated a more reasoned approach to nuclear warfare and was understood by some of his critics to be a nuclear war hawk in his writings. (He did however hold a profound belief in the possibility of success in the event of a nuclear war.) He used the concept of the Doomsday Machine as an "idealized (almost caricaturized) device"[17] to illustrate the danger of taking MAD to its extreme. He writes, "I used to be wary of discussing the concept for fear that some colonel would get out a General Operating Requirement or Development Planning Objective for the device".[18] The term, "mutual assured destruction", was coined by Donald Brennan, a strategist working in Kahn's Hudson Institute, in 1962.[19]
The 1964 film Dr. Strangelove parodies some of Kahn's work, and the titular character makes parodic references to Kahn's research, as in this quote from the film (after the United States mistakenly launched a nuclear attack on the USSR): "Under the authority granted me as director of weapons research and development, I commissioned last year a study of this project [of a doomsday machine] by the Bland Corporation. Based on the findings of the report, my conclusion was that this idea was not a practical deterrent, for reasons which, at this moment, must be all too obvious."
Sometime in the 1980s, a second, but real, doomsday device, called The Dead Hand, entered the picture in the Soviet Union. Unlike Kahn's device, it was not based on radioactive cobalt, but it was self-activated and could not be stopped.[20]
Strategic Air Command[edit]
See also: Operation Chrome Dome
Boeing B-47B Stratojet Rocket-Assisted Take Off (RATO) on April 15, 1954
B-52D Stratofortress being refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker, 1965
Beginning in 1955, the United States Strategic Air Command (SAC) kept one-third of its bombers on alert, with crews ready to take off within fifteen minutes and fly to designated targets inside the Soviet Union and destroy them with nuclear bombs in the event of a Soviet first-strike attack on the United States. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy increased funding for this program and raised the commitment to 50 percent of SAC aircraft.[citation needed]
During periods of increased tension in the early 1960s, SAC kept part of its B-52 fleet airborne at all times, to allow an extremely fast retaliatory strike against the Soviet Union in the event of a surprise attack on the United States. This program continued until 1969. Between 1954 and 1992, bomber wings had approximately one-third of their assigned aircraft on quick reaction ground alert and were able to take off within a few minutes.[citation needed] SAC also maintained the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACP, pronounced "kneecap"), also known as "Looking Glass," which consisted of several EC-135s, one of which was airborne at all times from 1961 through 1990.[citation needed] During the Cuban missile crisis the bombers were dispersed to several different airfields, and also were sometimes airborne. For example, some were sent to Wright Patterson, which normally didn't have B-52s.[citation needed]
During the height of the tensions between the US and the USSR in the 1960s, two popular films were made dealing with what could go terribly wrong with the policy of keeping nuclear-bomb carrying airplanes at the ready: Dr. Strangelove (1964) and Fail Safe (1964).[citation needed]
Retaliation capability (second strike)[edit]
Main article: Second strike
Robert McNamara
The strategy of MAD was fully declared in the early 1960s, primarily by United States Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. In McNamara's formulation there was the very real danger that a nation with nuclear weapons could attempt to eliminate another nation's retaliatory forces with a surprise, devastating first strike and theoretically "win" a nuclear war relatively unharmed. True second-strike capability could be achieved only when a nation had a guaranteed ability to fully retaliate after a first-strike attack.[2]
The United States had achieved an early form of second-strike capability by fielding continual patrols of strategic nuclear bombers, with a large number of planes always in the air, on their way to or from fail-safe points close to the borders of the Soviet Union. This meant the United States could still retaliate, even after a devastating first-strike attack. The tactic was expensive and problematic because of the high cost of keeping enough planes in the air at all times and the possibility they would be shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft missiles before reaching their targets. In addition, as the idea of a missile gap existing between the US and the Soviet Union developed, there was increasing priority being given to ICBMs over bombers.
The USS George Washington (SSBN-598), the lead ship of the US Navy's first class of Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines, Nuclear (SSBN)
It was only with the advent of ballistic missile submarines, starting with the George Washington class in 1959, that a genuine survivable nuclear force became possible and a retaliatory second strike capability guaranteed.
The deployment of fleets of ballistic missile submarines established a guaranteed second-strike capability because of their stealth and by the number fielded by each Cold War adversary—it was highly unlikely that all of them could be targeted and preemptively destroyed (in contrast to, for example, a missile silo with a fixed location that could be targeted during a first strike). Given their long range, high survivability and ability to carry many medium- and long-range nuclear missiles, submarines were credible and effective means for full-scale retaliation even after a massive first strike.[citation needed]
This deterrence strategy and program has continued into the 21st century, with nuclear submarines carrying Trident II ballistic missiles as one leg of the U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent and as the sole deterrent of the United Kingdom. The USA's other such deterrent comprises the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM)s on alert in the continental United States. Ballistic missile submarines are also operated by the navies of China, France, India and Russia.
The U.S. Department of Defense anticipates a continued need for a sea-based strategic nuclear force.[21] The first of the current Ohio-class SSBNs are expected to be retired by 2029,[21] meaning that a replacement platform must already be seaworthy by that time. A replacement may cost over $4 billion per unit compared to the USS Ohio's $2 billion.[22] The U.S. Navy is exploring two options. The first is a variant of the Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines. The second is a dedicated SSBN, either with a new hull or based on an overhaul of the current Ohio-class.[citation needed]
ABMs threaten MAD[edit]
Main article: Anti-ballistic missile
In the 1960s both the Soviet Union (A-35 anti-ballistic missile system) and the United States (LIM-49 Nike Zeus) developed anti-ballistic missile systems. Had such systems been able to effectively defend against a retaliatory second strike, MAD would have been undermined, because a superpower could launch a first strike without fearing the consequences of a retaliatory second strike. See also Strategic Defense Initiative.[citation needed]
MIRVs[edit]
Main article: Multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
A time exposure of seven MIRVs from Peacekeeper missile passing through clouds
MIRVs as counter against ABM[edit]
The multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) was another weapons system designed specifically to aid with the MAD nuclear deterrence doctrine. With a MIRV payload, one ICBM could hold many separate warheads. MIRVs were first created by the United States in order to counterbalance the Soviet A-35 anti-ballistic missile systems around Moscow. Since each defensive missile could be counted on to destroy only one offensive missile, making each offensive missile have, for example, three warheads (as with early MIRV systems) meant that three times as many defensive missiles were needed for each offensive missile. This made defending against missile attacks more costly and difficult. One of the largest U.S. MIRVed missiles, the LGM-118A Peacekeeper, could hold up to 10 warheads, each with a yield of around 300 kilotons of TNT (1.3 PJ)—all together, an explosive payload equivalent to 230 Hiroshima-type bombs. The multiple warheads made defense untenable with the available technology, leaving the threat of retaliatory attack as the only viable defensive option. MIRVed land-based ICBMs tend to put a premium on striking first. The START II agreement was proposed to ban this type of weapon, but never entered into force.
In the event of a Soviet conventional attack on Western Europe, NATO planned to use tactical nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union countered this threat by issuing a statement that any use of nuclear weapons (tactical or otherwise) against Soviet forces would be grounds for a full-scale Soviet retaliatory strike (massive retaliation). Thus it was generally assumed that any combat in Europe would end with apocalyptic conclusions.
Land-based MIRVed ICBMs threaten MAD[edit]
MIRVed land-based ICBMs are generally considered suitable for a first strike (inherently counterforce) or a counterforce second strike, due to:
Their high accuracy (low circular error probable), compared to submarine-launched ballistic missiles which used to be less accurate, and more prone to defects;
Their fast response time, compared to bombers which are considered too slow;
Their ability to carry multiple MIRV warheads at once, useful for destroying a whole missile field or several cities with one missile.
Unlike a decapitation strike or a countervalue strike, a counterforce strike might result in a potentially more constrained retaliation. Though the Minuteman III of the mid-1960s was MIRVed with three warheads, heavily MIRVed vehicles threatened to upset the balance; these included the SS-18 Satan which was deployed in 1976, and was considered to threaten Minuteman III silos, which led some neoconservatives to conclude a Soviet first strike was being prepared for. This led to the development of the aforementioned Pershing II, the Trident I and Trident II, as well as the MX missile, and the B-1 Lancer.
MIRVed land-based ICBMs are considered destabilizing because they tend to put a premium on striking first. When a missile is MIRVed, it is able to carry many warheads (up to eight in existing U.S. missiles, limited by New START, though Trident II is capable of carrying up to 12[23]) and deliver them to separate targets. If it is assumed that each side has 100 missiles, with five warheads each, and further that each side has a 95 percent chance of neutralizing the opponent's missiles in their silos by firing two warheads at each silo, then the attacking side can reduce the enemy ICBM force from 100 missiles to about five by firing 40 missiles with 200 warheads, and keeping the rest of 60 missiles in reserve. As such, this type of weapon was intended to be banned under the START II agreement; however, the START II agreement was never brought into force, and neither Russia nor the United States ratified the agreement.
Late Cold War[edit]
The original U.S. MAD doctrine was modified on July 25, 1980, with U.S. President Jimmy Carter's adoption of countervailing strategy with Presidential Directive 59. According to its architect, Secretary of Defense Harold Brown, "countervailing strategy" stressed that the planned response to a Soviet attack was no longer to bomb Soviet population centers and cities primarily, but first to kill the Soviet leadership, then attack military targets, in the hope of a Soviet surrender before total destruction of the Soviet Union (and the United States). This modified version of MAD was seen as a winnable nuclear war, while still maintaining the possibility of assured destruction for at least one party. This policy was further developed by the Reagan administration with the announcement of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, nicknamed "Star Wars"), the goal of which was to develop space-based technology to destroy Soviet missiles before they reached the United States.
SDI was criticized by both the Soviets and many of America's allies (including Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher) because, were it ever operational and effective, it would have undermined the "assured destruction" required for MAD. If the United States had a guarantee against Soviet nuclear attacks, its critics argued, it would have first-strike capability, which would have been a politically and militarily destabilizing position. Critics further argued that it could trigger a new arms race, this time to develop countermeasures for SDI. Despite its promise of nuclear safety, SDI was described by many of its critics (including Soviet nuclear physicist and later peace activist Andrei Sakharov) as being even more dangerous than MAD because of these political implications. Supporters also argued that SDI could trigger a new arms race, forcing the USSR to spend an increasing proportion of GDP on defense—something which has been claimed to have been an indirect cause of the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.
Proponents of ballistic missile defense (BMD) argue that MAD is exceptionally dangerous in that it essentially offers a single course of action in the event of nuclear attack: full retaliatory response. The fact that nuclear proliferation has led to an increase in the number of nations in the "nuclear club", including nations of questionable stability (e.g. North Korea), and that a nuclear nation might be hijacked by a despot or other person or persons who might use nuclear weapons without a sane regard for the consequences, presents a strong case for proponents of BMD who seek a policy which both protects against attack, but also does not require an escalation into what might become global nuclear war. Russia continues to have a strong public distaste for Western BMD initiatives, presumably because proprietary operative BMD systems could exceed their technical and financial resources and therefore degrade their larger military standing and sense of security in a post-MAD environment. Russian refusal to accept invitations to participate in NATO BMD may be indicative of the lack of an alternative to MAD in current Russian war fighting strategy due to dilapidation of conventional forces after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Post-Cold War[edit]
A payload launch vehicle carrying a prototype exoatmospheric kill vehicle is launched from Meck Island at the Kwajalein Missile Range on December 3, 2001, for an intercept of a ballistic missile target over the central Pacific Ocean.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation emerged as a sovereign entity encompassing most of the territory of the former USSR. Relations between the United States and this new power have been less tense than they had been with its predecessor. Tensions also decreased between the United States and China.
The administration of U.S. President George W. Bush withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in June 2002, claiming that the limited national missile defense system which they proposed to build was designed only to prevent nuclear blackmail by a state with limited nuclear capability and was not planned to alter the nuclear posture between Russia and the United States.
While relations have improved and an intentional nuclear exchange is more unlikely, the decay in Russian nuclear capability in the post-Cold War era may have had an effect on the continued viability of the MAD doctrine. A 2006 article by Keir Lieber and Daryl Press stated that the United States could carry out a nuclear first strike on Russia and would "have a good chance of destroying every Russian bomber base, submarine, and ICBM." This was attributed to reductions in Russian nuclear stockpiles and the increasing inefficiency and age of that which remains. Lieber and Press argued that the MAD era is coming to an end and that the United States is on the cusp of global nuclear primacy.[24]
However, in a follow-up article in the same publication, others criticized the analysis, including Peter Flory, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, who began by writing "The essay by Keir Lieber and Daryl Press contains so many errors, on a topic of such gravity, that a Department of Defense response is required to correct the record."[25] Regarding reductions in Russian stockpiles, another response stated that "a similarly one-sided examination of [reductions in] U.S. forces would have painted a similarly dire portrait".
A situation in which the United States might actually be expected to carry out a "successful" attack is perceived as a disadvantage for both countries. The strategic balance between the United States and Russia is becoming less stable, and the objective, technical possibility of a first strike by the United States is increasing. At a time of crisis, this instability could lead to an accidental nuclear war. For example, if Russia feared a U.S. nuclear attack, Moscow might make rash moves (such as putting its forces on alert) that would provoke a U.S. preemptive strike.[25]
An outline of current U.S. nuclear strategy toward both Russia and other nations was published as the document "Essentials of Post–Cold War Deterrence" in 1995.
Official policy[edit]
Whether MAD was the officially accepted doctrine of the United States military during the Cold War is largely a matter of interpretation. The United States Air Force, for example, has retrospectively contended that it never advocated MAD as a sole strategy, and that this form of deterrence was seen as one of numerous options in U.S. nuclear policy.[26] Former officers have emphasized that they never felt as limited by the logic of MAD (and were prepared to use nuclear weapons in smaller-scale situations than "assured destruction" allowed), and did not deliberately target civilian cities (though they acknowledge that the result of a "purely military" attack would certainly devastate the cities as well). However, according to a declassified 1959 Strategic Air Command study, U.S. nuclear weapons plans specifically targeted the populations of Beijing, Moscow, Leningrad, East Berlin, and Warsaw for systematic destruction.[27] MAD was implied in several U.S. policies and used in the political rhetoric of leaders in both the United States and the USSR during many periods of the Cold War.
To continue to deter in an era of strategic nuclear equivalence, it is necessary to have nuclear (as well as conventional) forces such that in considering aggression against our interests any adversary would recognize that no plausible outcome would represent a victory or any plausible definition of victory. To this end and so as to preserve the possibility of bargaining effectively to terminate the war on acceptable terms that are as favorable as practical, if deterrence fails initially, we must be capable of fighting successfully so that the adversary would not achieve his war aims and would suffer costs that are unacceptable, or in any event greater than his gains, from having initiated an attack.
—  President Jimmy Carter in 1980, Presidential Directive 59, Nuclear Weapons Employment Policy
The doctrine of MAD was officially at odds with that of the USSR, which had, contrary to MAD, insisted survival was possible.[28][29][30] The Soviets believed they could win not only a strategic nuclear war, which they planned to absorb with their extensive civil defense planning,[28][31][32] but also the conventional war that they predicted would follow after their strategic nuclear arsenal had been depleted.[33] Official Soviet policy, though, may have had internal critics towards the end of the Cold War, including some in the USSR's own leadership.[30]
"Nuclear use would be catastrophic."
—  1981, the Soviet General Staff[30]
Criticism[edit]
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Nuclear weapon test Apache (yield 1.85 Mt or 7.7 PJ)
The doctrine of nuclear deterrence depends on several challengeable assumptions[edit]
Second-strike capability
Main article: Second strike
A first strike must not be capable of preventing a retaliatory second strike or else mutual destruction is not assured. In this case, a state would have nothing to lose with a first strike, or might try to preempt the development of an opponent's second-strike capability with a first strike (i.e., a decapitation strike). To avoid this, countries may design their nuclear forces to make decapitation strike almost impossible, by dispersing launchers over wide areas and using a combination of sea-based, air-based, underground, and mobile land-based launchers.
Perfect detection
No false positives (errors) in the equipment and/or procedures that must identify a launch by the other side. The implication of this is that an accident could lead to a full nuclear exchange. During the Cold War there were several instances of false positives, as in the case of Stanislav Petrov.
No possibility of camouflaging a launch. The use of stealth technology in aircraft such as the B-2 bomber makes this assumption less likely to be fulfilled.
No means of delivery that does not have the characteristics of a long-range missile delivery, i.e. detectable far ahead of detonation. Again, this assumption is challengeable with, for instance, stealth aircraft, but also with other means, such as smuggling weapons to the target undetected (using devices like a suitcase nuke). A close-range missile attack from a submarine would also negate this assumption, as would positioning the weapons close to the intended target.
Perfect attribution. If there is a launch from the Sino-Russian border, it could be difficult to distinguish which nation is responsible—both Russia and China have the capability—and, hence, against which nation retaliation should occur.
Perfect rationality
No rogue commanders will have the ability to corrupt the launch decision process. Such an incident very nearly occurred during the Cuban Missile Crisis when an argument broke out aboard a nuclear-armed submarine cut off from radio communication. The second-in-command, Vasili Arkhipov, refused to launch despite an order from Captain Savitsky to do so.[34]
All leaders with launch capability care about the survival of their subjects (an extremist leader may welcome Armageddon and launch an unprovoked attack). Winston Churchill warned that any strategy will not “cover the case of lunatics or dictators in the mood of Hitler when he found himself in his final dugout.”[35]
Inability to defend
No fallout shelter networks of sufficient capacity to protect large segments of the population and/or industry.
No development of anti-missile technology or deployment of remedial protective gear.
Nuclear Weapons are Morally Indefensible, Oxford Union debate, 1985[edit]
At an Oxford Union debate in 1985, debating the proposition that Nuclear Weapons are Morally Indefensible, former New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange argued "that the fear [nuclear weapons] inspire is not a justification for their existence," arguing instead that nuclear armament is irrational, morally indefensible and makes us insecure.[36][37]
There is, Mr President, a quality of irrationality about nuclear weapons which does not sit well with good intentions. A system of defence serves its purpose if it guarantees the security of those it protects. A system of nuclear defence guarantees only insecurity. The means of defence terrorise as much as the threat of attack.
See also[edit]
Absolute war
Appeasement
Balance of terror
Counterforce
Moral equivalence
Nuclear missile defense
Nuclear holocaust
Nuclear peace
Nuclear strategy
Pyrrhic victory
Rational choice theory
Weapons of Mass Destruction
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Mutual Assured Destruction; Col. Alan J. Parrington, USAF, Mutually Assured Destruction Revisited, Strategic Doctrine in Question, Airpower Journal, Winter 1997.
^ Jump up to: a b Castella, Tom de (2012-02-15). "How did we forget about mutually assured destruction?". BBC News. Retrieved 2017-09-19.
Jump up ^ Freeman Dyson, Disturbing the Universe, Chapter 13, The Ethics of Defense, Basic Books, 1981.
Jump up ^ Weapons and Hope, Freeman Dyson, Harper Collins, 1985
Jump up ^ The Oxford English Dictionary. Simpson, J. A., 1953-, Weiner, E. S. C., Oxford University Press. (2nd ed. ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1989. ISBN 0198612168. OCLC 17648714. CS1 maint: Extra text (link)
Jump up ^ Black's law dictionary. Garner, Bryan A., Black, Henry Campbell, 1860-1927. (Abridged 7th ed ed.). St. Paul, Minn.: West Group. 2000. ISBN 9780314240774. OCLC 44554580. CS1 maint: Extra text (link)
Jump up ^ "Wilkie Collins and Mutually Assured Destruction". The Wilkie Collins Society. Spring 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
Jump up ^ Paul Wahl and Don Toppel, The Gatling Gun, Arco Publishing, 1971.
Jump up ^ "Everything You Need to Know About the First Nobel Prizes". Retrieved 2016-10-04.
Jump up ^ tr. R. C. Long, Boston, 1914, p XXXI.
Jump up ^ Tesla, Nikola, THE NEW ART OF PROJECTING CONCENTRATED NON-DISPERSIVE ENERGY THROUGH NATURAL MEDIA, System of Particle Acceleration for Use in National Defense, Circa 16 May 1935.
Jump up ^ Seifer 2001, p. 454
Jump up ^ Brown, Andrew; Arnold, Lorna (2010-09-20). "The Quirks of Nuclear Deterrence". International Relations. 24 (3): 293–312. doi:10.1177/0047117810377278.
Jump up ^ John Barry (2009-12-12). "Do We Still Need a Nuclear 'Triad'?". Newsweek. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
Jump up ^ Office for the Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters. "Nuclear Stockpile". US Department of Defense. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
Jump up ^ "Toning Up the Nuclear Triad". Time. 1985-09-23. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
Jump up ^ Kahn, Herman. On Thermonuclear War, Transaction Publishers, 2006. p. 145.
Jump up ^ Kahn, Herman. On Thermonuclear War, Transaction Publishers, 2006. p. 148.
Jump up ^ Daniel., Deudney, (1983). Whole earth security : a geopolitics of peace. Washington, D.C., USA: Worldwatch Institute. p. 80. ISBN 0916468542. OCLC 9833320.
Jump up ^ Thompson, Nicholas (21 September 2009), Inside the Apocalyptic Soviet Doomsday Machine, 17 (10), Wired Magazine .
^ Jump up to: a b "SSBN-X Future Follow-on Submarine". Global Security. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
Jump up ^ Frost, Peter. "Newport News contract awarded". Daily Press. Archived from the original on 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2011-09-27. (Subscription required (help)).
Jump up ^ http://missilethreat.com/missiles/ugm-133-trident-d-5/
Jump up ^ Keir A. Lieber and Daryl G. Press "The Rise of U.S. Nuclear Primacy," Foreign Affairs, March/April 2006, pp 42–55.
^ Jump up to: a b Peter C. W. Flory Nuclear Exchange: Does Washington Really Have (or Want) Nuclear Primacy? Foreign Affairs, September/October 2006
Jump up ^ National Archives and Records Administration, RG 200, Defense Programs and Operations, LeMay's Memo to President and JCS Views, Box 83. Secret.
Jump up ^ "Strategic Air Command Declassifies Nuclear Target List from 1950s". nsarchive.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
^ Jump up to: a b Richard Pipes (1977). "Why the Soviet Union Thinks It Could Fight and Win a Nuclear War" (PDF). Reed College. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
Jump up ^ Richard Pipes (1977). "Why the Soviet Union thinks it can fight and win a Nuclear War". Commentary. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b c Burr, William; Savranskaya, Svetlana, eds. (September 11, 2009). "Previously Classified Interviews with Former Soviet Officials Reveal U.S. Strategic Intelligence Failure Over Decades". Washington, DC. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
Jump up ^ Captain John W. Dorough, Jr. "Soviet Civil Defense U.S.S.R. preparations for industrial-base war survival". Air University Review, March–April 1977.
Jump up ^ Leon Gouré Reviewed by John C. Campbell (1977). "War Survival in Soviet Strategy: USSR Civil Defense". Foreign Affairs magazine.
Jump up ^ Hoffenaar, Jan; Findlay, Christopher; Wenger, Andreas (series); et al., eds. (November 2007). "Military Planning for European Theatre Conflict During the Cold War: An Oral History Roundtable, Stockholm, 24–25 April 2006" (PDF). Zürcher Beiträge Zur Sicherheitspolitik. Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich (79). Retrieved April 21, 2013.
Jump up ^ Lloyd, Marion (13 October 2002). "Soviets Close to Using A-Bomb in 1962 Crisis, Forum is Told". Boston Globe. pp. A20. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
Jump up ^ Cited in Wolfgang Panofsky, "The Mutual-Hostage Relations between America and Russia," Foreign Affairs, 52/1, (October 1973): p 118.
Jump up ^ "Nuclear Weapons are Morally Indefensible". Public Address. 14 October 2004. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
Jump up ^ "Nuclear Weapons are Morally Indefensible (Audio)". Public Address. 16 August 2005. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
External links[edit]
"The Rise of U.S. Nuclear Primacy" from Foreign Affairs, March/April 2006
First Strike and Mutual Deterrence from the Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives
Herman Kahn's Doomsday Machine
Robert McNamara's "Mutual Deterrence" speech from 1967
Getting MAD: Nuclear Mutual Assured Destruction
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
Council for a Livable World
Nuclear Files.org Mutual Assured Destruction
John G. Hines et al. Soviet Intentions 1965–1985. BDM, 1995.
[show]
v
t
e
Cold War
USA
USSR
ANZUS
NATO
Non-Aligned Movement
SEATO
Warsaw Pact
1940s
Morgenthau Plan
Hukbalahap Rebellion
Dekemvriana
Percentages Agreement
Yalta Conference
Guerrilla war in the Baltic states
Forest Brothers
Operation Priboi
Operation Jungle
Occupation of the Baltic states
Cursed soldiers
Operation Unthinkable
Potsdam Conference
Gouzenko Affair
Division of Korea
Operation Masterdom
Operation Beleaguer
Operation Blacklist Forty
Iran crisis of 1946
Greek Civil War
Baruch Plan
Corfu Channel incident
Turkish Straits crisis
Restatement of Policy on Germany
First Indochina War
Truman Doctrine
Asian Relations Conference
May 1947 Crises
Marshall Plan
1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état
Tito–Stalin Split
Berlin Blockade
Western betrayal
Iron Curtain
Eastern Bloc
Western Bloc
Chinese Civil War (Second round)
Malayan Emergency
Albanian Subversion
1950s
Bamboo Curtain
Korean War
McCarthyism
1953 Iranian coup d'état
Uprising of 1953 in East Germany
Dirty War (Mexico)
Bricker Amendment
1954 Guatemalan coup d'état
Partition of Vietnam
Vietnam War
First Taiwan Strait Crisis
Geneva Summit (1955)
Bandung Conference
Poznań 1956 protests
Hungarian Revolution of 1956
Suez Crisis
"We will bury you"
Operation Gladio
Arab Cold War
Syrian Crisis of 1957
1958 Lebanon crisis
Iraqi 14 July Revolution
Sputnik crisis
Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
Cuban Revolution
Kitchen Debate
Sino-Soviet split
1960s
Congo Crisis
1960 U-2 incident
Bay of Pigs Invasion
1960 Turkish coup d'état
Soviet–Albanian split
Berlin Wall
Portuguese Colonial War
Angolan War of Independence
Guinea-Bissau War of Independence
Mozambican War of Independence
Cuban Missile Crisis
Sino-Indian War
Communist insurgency in Sarawak
Iraqi Ramadan Revolution
Sand War
1963 Syrian coup d'état
Vietnam War
Shifta War
1964 Brazilian coup d'état
United States occupation of the Dominican Republic (1965–66)
South African Border War
Transition to the New Order
Domino theory
ASEAN Declaration
Laotian Civil War
1966 Syrian coup d'état
Argentine Revolution
Korean DMZ Conflict
Greek military junta of 1967–74
USS Pueblo incident
Six-Day War
War of Attrition
Dhofar Rebellion
Protests of 1968
French May
Cultural Revolution
Prague Spring
Communist insurgency in Malaysia
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Iraqi Ba'athist Revolution
Goulash Communism
Sino-Soviet border conflict
CPP–NPA–NDF rebellion
Corrective Move
1970s
Détente
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Black September in Jordan
Corrective Movement (Syria)
Cambodian Civil War
Realpolitik
Ping-pong diplomacy
1971 Turkish military memorandum
Corrective Revolution (Egypt)
Four Power Agreement on Berlin
Bangladesh Liberation War
1972 Nixon visit to China
North Yemen-South Yemen Border Conflict
Eritrean Civil Wars
1973 Chilean coup d'état
Yom Kippur War
Carnation Revolution
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
Rhodesian Bush War
Angolan Civil War
Mozambican Civil War
Oromo conflict
Ogaden War
Ethiopian Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
Sino-Albanian split
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
Sino-Vietnamese War
Iranian Revolution
Operation Condor
Dirty War
Korean Air Lines Flight 902
Saur Revolution
New Jewel Movement
1979 Herat uprising
Seven Days to the River Rhine
Struggle against political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union
1980s
Soviet–Afghan War
1980 and 1984 Summer Olympics boycotts
1980 Turkish coup d'état
Casamance conflict
Eritrean Civil Wars
1982 Ethiopian–Somali Border War
Ndogboyosoi War
Invasion of Grenada
1986 Black Sea incident
1988 Black Sea bumping incident
Solidarity
Soviet reaction
Contras
Central American crisis
RYAN
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Able Archer 83
Star Wars
People Power Revolution
Glasnost
Perestroika
Nagorno-Karabakh War
United States invasion of Panama
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Revolutions of 1989
Fall of the Berlin Wall
1990s
Mongolian Revolution of 1990
German reunification
Yemeni unification
Fall of communism in Albania
Breakup of Yugoslavia
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Frozen conflicts
Abkhazia
China-Taiwan
Korea
Nagorno-Karabakh
South Ossetia
Transnistria
Sino-Indian border dispute
North Borneo dispute
Foreign policy
Truman Doctrine
Containment
Eisenhower Doctrine
Domino theory
Hallstein Doctrine
Kennedy Doctrine
Peaceful coexistence
Ostpolitik
Johnson Doctrine
Brezhnev Doctrine
Nixon Doctrine
Ulbricht Doctrine
Carter Doctrine
Reagan Doctrine
Rollback
Sovereignty of Puerto Rico during the Cold War
Ideologies
Capitalism
Chicago school
Keynesianism
Monetarism
Neoclassical economics
Reaganomics
Supply-side economics
Thatcherism
Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Castroism
Eurocommunism
Guevarism
Hoxhaism
Juche
Maoism
Naxalism
Stalinism
Titoism
Other
Islamism
Liberal democracy
Social democracy
Third-Worldism
White supremacy
Organizations
ASEAN
CIA
Comecon
EEC
KGB
MI6
Non-Aligned Movement
SAARC
Safari Club
Stasi
Propaganda
Active measures
Crusade for Freedom
Izvestia
Pravda
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Red Scare
TASS
Voice of America
Voice of Russia
Races
Arms race
Nuclear arms race
Space Race
See also
Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War
Soviet espionage in the United States
Soviet Union–United States relations
Soviet–US summits
Russian espionage in the United States
American espionage in the Soviet Union and Russian Federation
NATO–Russia relations
Brinkmanship
CIA and the Cultural Cold War
Cold War II
Category
Commons
Portal
Timeline
List of conflicts
[show]
v
t
e
Global catastrophic risks
Future of the Earth
Ultimate fate of the universe
Technological
Grey goo
Kinetic bombardment
Mutual assured destruction
Dead Hand
Doomsday device
Synthetic intelligence / Artificial intelligence
Existential risk from artificial intelligence
See Template
AI takeover
Technological singularity
Transhumanism
Sociological
Malthusian catastrophe
New World Order (conspiracy theory)
Nuclear holocaust
winter
famine
cobalt
Societal collapse
World War III
Ecological
Climate change
Extinction risk from global warming
Runaway climate change
Ice age
Ecocide
Human impact on the environment
See Template
Ozone depletion
Cascade effect
Earth Overshoot Day
Overexploitation
Overpopulation
Human overpopulation
Biological
Extinction
Extinction event
Human extinction
Genetic erosion
Genetic pollution
Dysgenics
Pandemic
Biological agent
Transhumanism
Physical
Big Crunch
Big Rip
Coronal mass ejection
Gamma-ray burst
Hypercane
Impact event
Asteroid
Potentially hazardous object
Rogue planet
Solar flare
Supervolcano
winter
Mythological
Eschatology
Buddhist
Christian
Hindu
Islamic
Jewish
Norse
Zoroastrian
2012 phenomenon
2011 end times prediction
Armageddon
Apocalypse
End time
Last Judgment
List of dates predicted for apocalyptic events
Nibiru cataclysm
Fiction
Alien invasion
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
List of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Disaster films
List of disaster films
List of fictional doomsday devices
Categories
Apocalypticism
Future problems
Hazards
Risk analysis
Category:Doomsday scenarios
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mutual_assured_destruction&oldid=821330105"
Categories:
Cold War policies
Nuclear strategies
Nuclear weapons
Nuclear warfare
English phrases
Military doctrines
Cold War terminology
Doomsday scenarios
Eschatology
Hidden categories:
CS1 maint: Extra text
Pages containing links to subscription-only content
Articles lacking in-text citations from October 2013
All articles lacking in-text citations
All articles with unsourced statements
Articles with unsourced statements from July 2015
Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018
Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017
Articles with unsourced statements from October 2017
Articles with unsourced statements from March 2010
Articles needing additional references from August 2013
All articles needing additional references
Articles needing additional references from March 2008
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
Català
Čeština
Dansk
Deutsch
Español
Esperanto
Euskara
فارسی
한국어
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
ქართული
Lietuvių
Magyar
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk
Norsk nynorsk
Occitan
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Simple English
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Svenska
中文
Edit links
This page was last edited on 19 January 2018, at 20:04.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

values: Mutually Assured Destruction (The Americans)

attrs: role class

values:
note
hatnote navigation-not-searchable

attrs: href class title

attrs: class style

values: padding:0.2em 0.4em 0.2em;padding-top:0;font-size:145%;line-height:1.2em;padding-bottom:0.6em; font-size:170%;

attrs: class id href

values: NavToggle NavToggle1 #

values: font-size: 105%; padding: 0.2em 0px 0.4em; text-align: center; display: none;

values: float:right;clear:right;width:22.0em;margin:0 0 1.0em 1.0em;background:#f9f9f9;border:1px solid #aaa;padding:0.2em;border-spacing:0.4em 0;text-align:center;line-height:1.4em;font-size:88%;width:

values: Wikipedia:WikiProject Fact and Reference Check

values: plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-style ambox-More_footnotes

values:
/wiki/First_strike
mw-redirect
First strike

values:
/wiki/Second-strike_capability
mw-redirect
Second-strike capability

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (July 2015)

values:
noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact
white-space:nowrap;

values:
/wiki/Missile_silo
mw-redirect
Missile silo

values:
/wiki/Strategic_deterrence
mw-redirect
Strategic deterrence

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (January 2018)

values: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

values:
/wiki/Convair_B-36
mw-redirect
Convair B-36

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2017)

values:
/wiki/Nuclear_deterrence
mw-redirect
Nuclear deterrence

values:
/wiki/RAND_corporation
mw-redirect
RAND corporation

values:
/wiki/Dead_Hand_(nuclear_war)
mw-redirect
Dead Hand (nuclear war)

values:
/wiki/Boeing_B-47B_Stratojet
mw-redirect
Boeing B-47B Stratojet

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (October 2017)

values:
/wiki/Cuban_missile_crisis
mw-redirect
Cuban missile crisis

values:
/wiki/Wright_Patterson
mw-redirect
Wright Patterson

values:
/wiki/Fail-Safe_(1964_film)
mw-redirect
Fail-Safe (1964 film)

values: Edit section: Retaliation capability (second strike)

values:
/wiki/Anti-aircraft_missile
mw-redirect
Anti-aircraft missile

values:
/wiki/George_Washington_class_submarine
mw-redirect
George Washington class submarine

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2010)

values:
/wiki/LIM-49_Nike_Zeus
mw-redirect
LIM-49 Nike Zeus

values: Multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle

values: Help:Introduction to referencing with Wiki Markup/1

values: plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Unreferenced

values:
/wiki/Peacekeeper_missile
mw-redirect
Peacekeeper missile

values: Edit section: MIRVs as counter against ABM

values:
/wiki/LGM-118A_Peacekeeper
mw-redirect
LGM-118A Peacekeeper

values:
/wiki/Tactical_nuclear_weapons
mw-redirect
Tactical nuclear weapons

values: Edit section: Land-based MIRVed ICBMs threaten MAD

values: Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle

values:
/wiki/Countervalue_strike
mw-redirect
Countervalue strike

values:
/wiki/Counterforce_strike
mw-redirect
Counterforce strike

values:
/wiki/SS-18_Satan
mw-redirect
SS-18 Satan

values:
/wiki/Minuteman_III
mw-redirect
Minuteman III

values:
/wiki/Ballistic_missile_defense
mw-redirect
Ballistic missile defense

values:
/wiki/Nuclear_club
mw-redirect
Nuclear club

values:
/wiki/Kwajalein_Missile_Range
mw-redirect
Kwajalein Missile Range

values:
/wiki/Fall_of_the_Soviet_Union
mw-redirect
Fall of the Soviet Union

values:
/wiki/Russian_Federation
mw-redirect
Russian Federation

values:
/wiki/Post-Cold_War_era
mw-redirect
Post-Cold War era

values: s:Page:Carter Presidential Directive 59, Nuclear Weapons Employment Policy.djvu/2

values: Edit section: The doctrine of nuclear deterrence depends on several challengeable assumptions

values:
/wiki/Suitcase_nuke
mw-redirect
Suitcase nuke

values: Edit section: Nuclear Weapons are Morally Indefensible, Oxford Union debate, 1985

values:
/wiki/Nuclear_missile_defense
mw-redirect
Nuclear missile defense

values:
/wiki/Weapons_of_Mass_Destruction
mw-redirect
Weapons of Mass Destruction

values:
nofollow
external text
https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/17648714

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/oclc/17648714

values:
nofollow
external text
https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/44554580

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/oclc/44554580

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.newsweek.com/id/226494

values:
nofollow
external text
https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9833320

values:
nofollow
external text
//www.worldcat.org/oclc/9833320

values: The site requires a paid subscription to access this page.

values:
/wiki/Washington,_DC
mw-redirect
Washington, DC

values: Foreign Affairs magazine (page does not exist)

values:
/wiki/Boston_Globe
mw-redirect
Boston Globe

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.armscontrolcenter.org

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.clw.org

values:
/wiki/Percentages_Agreement
mw-redirect
Percentages Agreement

values:
/wiki/Geneva_Conference_(1954)
mw-redirect
Geneva Conference (1954)

values:
/wiki/Omani_Civil_War_(1963-76)
mw-redirect
Omani Civil War (1963-76)

values: Communist insurgency in Malaysia (1968–89)

values: Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

values:
/wiki/1972_Nixon_visit_to_China
mw-redirect
1972 Nixon visit to China

values:
/wiki/Invasion_of_Grenada
mw-redirect
Invasion of Grenada

values: Soviet reaction to the Polish crisis of 1980–81

values: Sovereignty of Puerto Rico during the Cold War

values: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

values: Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War

values: List of Soviet Union–United States summits

values:
/wiki/Brinkmanship_(Cold_War)
mw-redirect
Brinkmanship (Cold War)

values: List of conflicts related to the Cold War

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible collapsed navbox-inner

values: Existential risk from artificial general intelligence

values: Template:Existential risk from artificial intelligence

values: Template:Human impact on the environment

values: List of dates predicted for apocalyptic events

values: Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction

values: List of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction

attrs: alt src title width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Category:Pages containing links to subscription-only content

values: Category:Articles lacking in-text citations from October 2013

values: Category:All articles lacking in-text citations

values: Category:All articles with unsourced statements

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from July 2015

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from October 2017

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from March 2010

values: Category:Articles needing additional references from August 2013

values: Category:All articles needing additional references

values: Category:Articles needing additional references from March 2008

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values:
/wiki/Special:Random
Load a random article [ctrl-alt-x]
x

values: portal navigation p-navigation p-navigation-label

values: Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia

values: About the project, what you can do, where to find things

values: A list of recent changes in the wiki [ctrl-alt-r]

values: portal navigation p-interaction p-interaction-label

values: List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [ctrl-alt-j]

values: Recent changes in pages linked from this page [ctrl-alt-k]

values:
/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard
Upload files [ctrl-alt-u]
u

values: A list of all special pages [ctrl-alt-q]

values:
uls-settings-trigger
Language settings
0
button
true

values: Doctrina de la destrucció mútua assegurada – Catalan

values: Estrategia de las armas nucleares – Spanish

values: Reciproke garantiita neniigo – Esperanto

values: تخریب حتمی متقابل – Persian

values: 상호확증파괴 – Korean

values: Kepastian saling menghancurkan – Indonesian

values: השמדה הדדית מובטחת – Hebrew

values: ორმხრივად გარანტირებული განადგურება – Georgian

values: Garantuotas abipusis sunaikinimas – Lithuanian

values: Garantert gjensidig ødeleggelse – Norwegian

values: Garantert gjensidig øydelegging – Norwegian Nynorsk

values: Destruccion Mutuala Assegurada – Occitan

values: Destruição mútua assegurada – Portuguese

values: Distrugere reciprocă asigurată – Romanian

values: Взаимное гарантированное уничтожение – Russian

values: Mutual assured destruction – Simple English

values: Осигурано узајамно уништење – Serbian

values: Osigurano uzajamno uništenje – Serbo-Croatian

values: 相互保證毀滅 – Chinese

values: /static/images/wikimedia-button-1.5x.png 1.5x, /static/images/wikimedia-button-2x.png 2x

values: /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x

values:
suggestions
display: none; font-size: 13px;

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Mutual_assured_destruction rootpage-Mutual_assured_destruction skin-vector action-view


text:
Ace (tennis)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
In tennis, an ace is a legal serve that is not touched by the receiver, winning the point.[1] In professional tennis, aces are generally seen on a player's first serve, where the server can strike the ball with maximum force and take more chances with ball placement, such as the far corners of the service box.[2] According to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, this term was coined by the sports journalist Allison Danzig.[3]
Contents
[hide]
1 Professional singles records
1.1 ATP Tour
1.2 WTA Tour
2 See also
3 References
Professional singles records[edit]
Aces have been officially recorded by the top-level professional tennis circuits since 1991,[4] so these records start at that time.
Only main draw singles matches are included here.
ATP Tour[edit]
John Isner holds the record for most aces in a professional tennis match
Goran Ivanišević holds the record for most aces in a tournament with 213 en route to winning the 2001 Wimbledon title,[5] which broke his own record of 206 when he was runner-up in 1992.[6] He also has the most in a single season with 1,477 in 1996.[7]
Ivo Karlović has the most career aces with 12,242.[8] He also has the most in a best-of-three-set match with 45 at Halle in 2015.[9] Two weeks later, during Wimbledon, he became the only player to hit at least 40 aces in three consecutive matches.[5]
Roger Federer hit 50 aces in the 2009 Wimbledon final, the record for a Grand Slam final.[10] He is also second on the career list.[8]
Most aces in a match
#
Player
W/L
Opponent
Round
Event
Sets
113 John Isner W Nicolas Mahut 1R 2010 Wimbledon 5
103 Nicolas Mahut L John Isner
78 Ivo Karlović L Radek Štěpánek SF 2009 Davis Cup 5
75 Ivo Karlović W Horacio Zeballos 1R 2017 Australian Open 5
61 Ivo Karlović W Lu Yen-Hsun 1R 2016 US Open 5
56 Albano Olivetti L Matthew Barton 1R 2016 Wimbledon 5
55 Ivo Karlović L Lleyton Hewitt 1R 2009 French Open 5
53 Ivo Karlović W Alexandr Dolgopolov 2R 2015 Wimbledon 5
52 John Isner L Feliciano López 3R 2014 Wimbledon 4
51 Joachim Johansson L Andre Agassi 4R 2005 Australian Open 4
Ivo Karlović L Daniele Bracciali 1R 2005 Wimbledon 5
Gilles Müller W Santiago Giraldo 1R 2016 Wimbledon 5
Seasons with 1000+ aces
#
Player
Years
4 Goran Ivanišević 1994, 96–98
Ivo Karlović 2007, 14–16
John Isner 2010, 12, 15–16
2 Milos Raonic 2012, 14
1 Pete Sampras 1993
Andy Roddick 2004
Kevin Anderson 2015
Other
Most in a one-week tournament: 144 – John Isner at the 2007 Legg Mason Tennis Classic[4][11]
Most consecutive: 10 – Sam Querrey against James Blake at 2007 Indianapolis[11][12][13]
5 consecutive aces when down love-40: Boris Becker against Andriy Medvedev and John Isner against Jiří Veselý[11]
WTA Tour[edit]
Serena Williams holds the record for most aces in a tournament with 102 en route to winning the 2012 Wimbledon title.[14]
Karolína Plíšková has the most aces in a single season with 530 in 2016,[15] which broke her own record of 517 in 2015.[16]
Most aces in a match
#
Player
W/L
Opponent
Round
Year
Event
Sets
Result
31 Kristýna Plíšková L Monica Puig 2R 2016 Australian Open 3 6–4, 6–7(6–8), 7–9
27 Sabine Lisicki W Belinda Bencic 2R 2015 Birmingham 2 6–1, 7–6(7–4)
24 Kaia Kanepi W Lucie Šafářová 1R 2008 Tokyo 3 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Serena Williams W Victoria Azarenka SF 2012 Wimbledon 2 6–3, 7–6(8-6)
23 Serena Williams W Zheng Jie 3R 2012 Wimbledon 3 6–7(5–7), 6–2, 9–7
Kristýna Plíšková L Océane Dodin 1R 2016 Linz 3 7–6(7-2), 5–7, 3–6
22 Brenda Schultz W Iva Majoli QF 1994 Birmingham 3 6–4, 5–7, 6–0
Meghann Shaughnessy W Nicole Vaidišová F 2005 Memphis 2 7–6, 7–6
Alicia Molik L Venus Williams QF 2007 Tokyo 2 6–7(4–7), 3–6
21 Michaëlla Krajicek L Camila Giorgi 2R 2015 's-Hertogenbosch 3 7–6(7–2), 2–6, 4–6
Naomi Broady W Jelena Ostapenko 2R 2016 Auckland 3 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–5
Karolína Plíšková W Dominika Cibulková SF 2017 Qatar 3 6–4, 4–6, 6–3
See also[edit]
Tennis portal
Fastest recorded tennis serves
References[edit]
Jump up ^ ace - Definition from Dictionary.com.
Jump up ^ TENNIS.com - Tip of the Week - December 19, 2005 - Your Second Serve Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
Jump up ^ "Allison Danzig". International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
^ Jump up to: a b http://www.asapsports.com/show_conference.php?id=44733
^ Jump up to: a b Karlovic Strikes 41 Aces To Set Murray Clash
Jump up ^ https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/02/sports/tennis-sampras-and-ivanisevic-perform-aces-above-rest.html
Jump up ^ http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/goran-ivanisevic/i034/player-stats?year=1996&surfaceType=all
^ Jump up to: a b http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/stats/aces
Jump up ^ Karlovic fires 45 aces to beat Berdych at Gerry Weber Open
Jump up ^ http://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon09/news/story?id=4307143
^ Jump up to: a b c http://tennisbios.com/view/tennis-atp-records
Jump up ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/8579785/Tennis-record-breaker-Sam-Querry-shows-how-to-serve-quicker-and-smarter.html
Jump up ^ "The New York Sun". Querrey Gives a Sample Of What May Be in Store. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
Jump up ^ Serena wins 5th Wimbledon title
Jump up ^ http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/6082981/title/top-10-wta-aces-leaders-in-2016
Jump up ^ http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5144782
[show]
v
t
e
Tennis
ITF
History
Glossary
Match types
Statistics
Players
Umpires
Women's tennis
Basics
General
Scoring system
point
Strategy
grips
serve and volley
Equipment
ball
racket
strings
Official
Technology
electronic line judge
hawk-eye
cyclops
Courts
Carpet
Clay
Grass
Hard
Shots
Backhand
Backspin
Drop shot
Flat
Forehand
Groundstroke
Half volley
Lob
Passing shot
Serve
ace
Smash
Topspin
Volley
Grand Slams
Events
Australian Open
French Open
Wimbledon
US Open
Stats
Records
Singles finals
Professional
tours
Men
ATP World Tour
ATP Challenger Tour
ITF Men's Circuit
Women
WTA Tour
WTA 125K series
ITF Women's Circuit
Team tennis
tournaments
Active
Davis Cup
Fed Cup
Hopman Cup
Laver Cup
World TeamTennis
International Premier Tennis League
Defunct
Wightman Cup
World Team Cup
Champions Tennis League
Multi-sport
events
Intercontinental
Olympics
Youth Olympics
Universiade
Commonwealth
Island
Mediterranean
Continental
All-Africa
Asian
Pacific
Pan American
Outline
Portal
WikiCommons
[show]
v
t
e
Tennis records and statistics
Grand Slam
Records
Champions
Men's singles
Chronological
Women's singles
Chronological
Men's doubles
Women's doubles
Mixed doubles
Boys' singles
Girls' singles
Boys' doubles
Girls' doubles
Champions by country
Singles
Singles finals
Open Era singles
Men's finals
Women's finals
Age of first title
Men's
Singles
Open Era
All-time
Misc.
ATP Tour
Rankings
Records
Elite champions
Singles
Doubles
Awards
No. 1 rankings
ATP singles
ATP doubles
All-time
Select players
Singles
Doubles
Open Era
Match wins
Masters Series
Women's
Singles
Open Era
All-time
WTA Tour
Rankings
Records
Elite champions
Awards
No. 1 rankings
WTA singles and doubles
All-time
Select players
Other
Notable rivalries
Open Era
Titles leaders
Records
Tournaments
Singles
Doubles
Olympics
ITF
Rankings
Champions
Match duration
Longest
Shortest
Tiebreaker
Golden set
Serving
Speed
Aces
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ace_(tennis)&oldid=800332453"
Categories:
Tennis terminology
Tennis records and statistics
Hidden categories:
Webarchive template wayback links
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
Español
Français
한국어
Italiano
עברית
Polski
Português
Русский
中文
Edit links
This page was last edited on 12 September 2017, at 21:43.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view

key: html

type: local

value: div

attrs: id class

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

attrs: id class style

value: a

attrs: id class lang

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

attrs: href title

value: b

value: sup

value: p

values: Edit section: Professional singles records

attrs: alt src width height class srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values: 2001 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values: 1992 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values: 2015 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values: 2009 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values:
headerSort
0
columnheader button
Sort ascending

values: Isner–Mahut match at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships

values: 2010 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values:
/wiki/Lu_Yen-Hsun
mw-redirect
Lu Yen-Hsun

values: 2016 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values: 2014 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values: 2005 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

values: 2007 Legg Mason Tennis Classic – Singles

values: 2007 Indianapolis Tennis Championships – Singles

values: 2012 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles

values:
/wiki/Brenda_Schultz
mw-redirect
Brenda Schultz

values:
/wiki/Jelena_Ostapenko
mw-redirect
Jelena Ostapenko

values: display:table-cell;padding:0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em;vertical-align:middle

values: margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em;border:solid #aaa 1px

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.nysun.com/article/59384

attrs: alt src width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values:
navbox-image
5
width:1px;padding:0px 0px 0px 2px

values: List of Grand Slam related tennis records

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Template talk:Tennis records and statistics

values:
row
navbox-group
width:1%;text-align: left;

values: List of Grand Slam men's singles champions

values: Chronological list of men's Grand Slam tennis champions

values: List of Grand Slam women's singles champions

values: Chronological list of women's Grand Slam tennis champions

values: List of Grand Slam men's doubles champions

values: List of Grand Slam women's doubles champions

values: List of Grand Slam mixed doubles champions

values: List of Grand Slam boys' singles champions

values: List of Grand Slam girls' singles champions

values: List of Grand Slam boys' doubles champions

values: List of Grand Slam girls' doubles champions

values: List of Grand Slam singles champions by country

values: List of Open Era Grand Slam men's singles finals

values: List of Open Era Grand Slam women's singles finals

values: List of Grand Slam singles champions in Open Era with age of first title

values: List of ATP Tour Top-level tournament singles champions

values: List of men's Grand Slam, Olympic and ATP Tour Finals and Masters Series doubles champions

values: List of ATP number 1 ranked singles tennis players

values: List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players

values: World number 1 male tennis player rankings

values: List of Open Era men's singles tennis players by career match wins

values: Tennis Masters Series records and statistics

values: Open Era tennis records – women's singles

values: All-time tennis records – women's singles

values: List of Grand Slam and WTA Tour Tier I/Premier singles tennis champions

values: List of WTA number 1 ranked tennis players

values: Tennis players with most titles in the Open Era

values: Tennis tournament records and statistics

values: List of tennis players by number of wins in one doubles tournament

values: nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Category:Webarchive template wayback links

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Ace_(tennis)
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values:
/wiki/Special:Random
Load a random article [ctrl-alt-x]
x

values: portal navigation p-navigation p-navigation-label

values: Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia

values: About the project, what you can do, where to find things

values: A list of recent changes in the wiki [ctrl-alt-r]

values: portal navigation p-interaction p-interaction-label

values: List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [ctrl-alt-j]

values: Recent changes in pages linked from this page [ctrl-alt-k]

values:
/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard
Upload files [ctrl-alt-u]
u

values: A list of all special pages [ctrl-alt-q]

values: Permanent link to this revision of the page

values: Link to connected data repository item [ctrl-alt-g]

values: Printable version of this page [ctrl-alt-p]

values:
uls-settings-trigger
Language settings
0
button
true

values: הגשה ללא מענה (טניס) – Hebrew

values: Эйс (теннис) – Russian

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Ace_tennis rootpage-Ace_tennis skin-vector action-view


text:
Drink You Away
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"Drink You Away"
Single by Justin Timberlake
from the album The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2
Released
November 23, 2015 (2015-11-23)
Recorded
2012 at Larrabee Studios (North Hollywood)
Genre
Classic-rock
country-pop
gospel-blues
Memphis soul
Length
5:31 (album version)
4:15 (radio edit)
Label
RCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Justin Timberlake
Timothy Mosley
Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon
James Fauntleroy
Producer(s)
Timbaland
Justin Timberlake
Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon
Justin Timberlake singles chronology
"Love Never Felt So Good"
(2014) "Drink You Away"
(2015) "Can't Stop the Feeling!"
(2016)
"Love Never Felt So Good"
(2014) "Drink You Away"
(2015) "Can't Stop the Feeling!"
(2016)
"Drink You Away" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake for his fourth studio album, The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (2013). It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy. It was sent to US country radio stations on November 23, 2015 as the fourth and final single from the album. Musically, it was defined by critics as a multi-genre song including classic-rock, country-pop, gospel-blues and Memphis soul. Lyrically, on the track, Timberlake compares love to alcoholism while making references to several alcoholic brands including Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam. As of May 2016, the song has sold over 600,000 copies in the US.[1]
"Drink You Away" received generally positive response from contemporary critics, with some of them labeling the song as a highlight and one of the most impressive moments on the album. Timberlake performed the song at the 2013 American Music Awards and it was part of the set list of The 20/20 Experience World Tour (2013–15). In November 2015, the singer together with Chris Stapleton gave a rendition of track at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards; following it, "Drink You Away" sold 76,000 digital copies and debuted at number five on the US Hot Digital Songs chart. It also peaked at number 85 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.
Contents
[hide]
1 Production and release
2 Composition and lyrical interpretation
3 Reception
3.1 Critical
3.2 Commercial
4 Live performances and covers
5 Credits and personnel
6 Charts
7 Certifications
8 Release history
9 References
10 External links
Production and release[edit]
"Drink You Away" was written by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon and James Fauntleroy. The song was produced by Timbaland, Timberlake and Harmon while Jones provided additional production. It was recorded the Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Timberlake arranged and produced his vocals. Harmon provided keyboards for the song, while Ives played the guitar. The track was engineered by Chris Godbey and mixed by Jimmy Douglass, Godbey and Timberlake; for the process they were assisted by Alejandro Baima. The keyboards were provided by Harmon.[2] It was sent to country radio in the United States on November 23, 2015, as the fourth and final single from The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (2013).[3] Regarding the single release, Sony Music Nashville executive vice president, promotion/artist development Steve Hodges stated, "we received several requests from key programmers and we decided to get them a shortened version [of "Drink You Away"] so they didn't have to air the longer cut from the album," adding "our promotion staffs will not be actively working the single, we simply wanted to make the song easily accessible for country radio. Now they have it and can play it if they'd like" in an interview for Billboard.[4]
Composition and lyrical interpretation[edit]
"Drink You Away"
A sample of "Drink You Away", a multi-genre song with pop and rock music influences. Throughout the chorus Timberlake makes references to several alcoholic beverages in the lines, "I can't drink you away. I've tried Jack, I've tried Jim...".
Problems playing this file? See media help.
"Drink You Away" runs for a duration of five minutes and thirty-one seconds,[5] while its radio edit lasts for four minutes and fifteen seconds.[4] Chris Bosman of Time magazine described the track as a country-pop.[6] On the other hand, Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune thought that it was a gospel-blues song,[7] while according to The A.V. Club's Annie Zaleski it is a classic-rock "homage".[8] Kira Willis of Starpulse.com noted that "Drink You Away" is an "unabashed" Memphis soul song, "steeped in a gritty country riff."[9] Its instrumentation includes organ and acoustic guitar;[10] elements of pop and rock music can be heard in the song's guitar.[11]
Lyrically, the song features references to several alcoholic drinks which can be seen in the lyrics, "I can't drink you away. I've tried Jack, I've tried Jim... Now, tell me baby, do they make a medicine for heartbreak."[10] Brad Stern of MTV News described it as a "plethora of alcohol references, and a whole lot of bluesy sorrow."[12] According to Stacy-Ann Ellis of Vibe magazine, the song's lyrics continue the "druggy love analogy" which Timberlake started with some of the lyrical themes on The 20/20 Experience (2013) most particularly on, "Pusher Love Girl"; she noted that he is "trying to drown a bitter memory of her by opening up a bar tab and taking Tennessee whiskies to the head."[13] Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine described "Drink You Away" as a "honky-tonking" song on which the singer compares his love to alcoholism.[14]
Reception[edit]
Critical[edit]
HitFix's Melinda Newman gave "Drink You Away" an A grade and called it "the best" and "the most captivating track" on The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2, "with potential to be '2 of 2's'" "Mirrors".[10] Similarly, Stern of MTV News thought that the song was one of the biggest surprises and one of the most impressive tracks on the album.[12] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy labeled it as a "highlight" on the album and encouraged Timberlake to further explore the "Tennessee swagger" present on the track.[15]
PopMatters' Brice Ezell called the song a "hat trick" on the album and also described it as one of its most "weirdest" and "successful" moments. According to him, the way Timberlake lists the beverages in the lyrics it's an unorthodox style for the singer and in addition it differs musically from the rest of the material on the album, however, "for whatever reason, though, it works". He also noted that the song would suit better on a Montgomery Gentry LP.[16] Kory Grow of Rolling Stone described it as a "a big genre-bending, feel-good sing-along that really actually does feels good."[17] Jason King for Spin called the song "organ-laced" and thought it was "a surefire hit, a country twanger lifted to heaven by Timberlake’s quilted, hermetic harmonies."[18]
Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media thought that "his heartbrokenness falls flat" on the song which he further described as "plastic blues" and compared it to the works of the American country singer, Kid Rock.[19] Variety's Andrew Barker described "Drink You Away" as one of the "lows" on the album and compared it to the music of Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd.[20] Stephen Carlick of Exclaim! concluded that the track, "relies too heavily on repetition".[21]
Commercial[edit]
Following Timberlake's performance at the Country Music Association Awards, for the issue dated November 21, 2015, the song sold 76,000 digital copies and appeared at number five on the US Hot Digital Songs chart.[22] It has since peaked at number 5.[23] For the chart dated February 6, 2016, the song debuted at number 60 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and climbed 38-36 on the Mainstream Top 40 radio airplay chart. The single is his 26th entry on the latter as a solo artist.[24] It has also peaked at number 17 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[25] As of May 2016, it has sold 609,085 copies in the United States.[1]
"Drink You Away" also peaked at number 85 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.[26] In South Korea, following the release of the parent album, the song sold 2,358 digital copies[27] and peaked at number 96 on the Gaon Digital Chart.[28]
Live performances and covers[edit]
Timberlake performing "Drink You Away" during The 20/20 Experience World Tour
Timberlake performed "Drink You Away" for the first time at the 2013 American Music Awards held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles; Rolling Stone's Grow ranked the performance at number five out of 16 performances that night.[17] The song was part of the setlist of The 20/20 Experience World Tour (2013–15).[29] Timberlake and Chris Stapleton performed the song together along with the latter's "Tennessee Whiskey" at the Country Music Association Awards on November 4, 2015.[30] Rolling Stone magazine praised it as "the best performance of the entire show",[31] while The New York Times editor Katie Rogers highlighted Timberlake's crossover appeal.[30] Entertainment Weekly declared it as one of the best performances of 2015 and wrote, "In an unapologetic display of talent, Nashville met Motown during country music’s biggest night for a hands-in-the-air, take-us-to-church mash-up that was everything you hope for from an all-star duet."[32]
American country music artist Craig Morgan has performed the song at several of his concerts.[33] David Fanning's cover of "Drink You Away" peaked at number 58 on the Country Airplay chart.[34]
Credits and personnel[edit]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2.[2]
Locations
Vocals recorded and mixed at Larrabee, North Hollywood
Personnel
Justin Timberlake — vocals, mixing, production, vocal production, vocal arrangement, guitar
Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley — production
Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon — keyboards, production
Chris Godbey — engineering, mixing
Jimmy Douglass — mixing
Elliot Ives — guitar
Alejandro Baima — additional mixing
Charts[edit]
Chart (2013–16)
Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[26]
85
South Korea (Gaon Digital Chart)[28]
96
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[35]
9
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[36]
60
US Hot Digital Songs (Billboard)[22]
5
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25]
17
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[37]
32
Certifications[edit]
Region
Certification
Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[38]
650,000[1]
*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
Release history[edit]
Region
Date
Format
Label
United States[3]
November 23, 2015 Country radio RCA Nashville[4]
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c "Nielsen SoundScan Charts". Nielsen. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (booklet). Justin Timberlake. New York City, NY: RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b "Country Future Releases". AllAccess. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b c Asker, Jim (November 12, 2015). "Will Country Radio Take a Taste of Justin Timberlake's 'Drink'?". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
Jump up ^ "The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 by Justin Timberlake". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ Bosman, Chris (October 2, 2013). "Justin Timberlake Overreaches on His 20/20 Follow-Up". Time. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
Jump up ^ Kot, Greg (September 30, 2015). "Justin Timberlake, 'The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2' review". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
Jump up ^ Zaleski, Annie (October 1, 2013). "Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience—2 of 2". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
Jump up ^ Willis, Kira (September 30, 2013). "Justin Timberlake's 'The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2' Review: Album Of The Year?". Starpulse.com. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b c Newman, Melinda (September 30, 2013). "Justin Timberlake's 'The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2': Track-by-track review". HitFix. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
Jump up ^ Farber, Jim (September 27, 2013). "Justin Timberlake’s ‘20-20 Experience 2 of 2’: album review". Daily News. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b Stern, Brad (October 1, 2013). "The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2: Track by Track Review... In GIFs!". MTV News. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ Ellis, Stacy-Ann (September 30, 2013). "Review: Leftovers Struggle To Hit The Spot On Justin Timberlake’s ‘The 20/20 Experience — 2 of 2′". Vibe. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
Jump up ^ Henderson, Eric (September 28, 2013). "Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
Jump up ^ Corner, Lewis (September 30, 2013). "Justin Timberlake: 'The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2' - Album review". Digital Spy. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ Ezell, Brice (September 30, 2013). "Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience (2 of 2)". PopMatters. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b Grow, Kory (November 25, 2013). "Rihanna to TLC: Ranking the American Music Awards Performances". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ King, Jason (September 30, 2013). "Justin Timberlake Attempts to Wow Us Again on ‘The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2′". Spin. SpinMedia. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
Jump up ^ Dombal, Ryan (October 1, 2013). "Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ Barker, Andrew (October 1, 2013). "Album Review: Justin Timberlake, ‘The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2’". Variety. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ Carlick, Stephen (September 28, 2013). "Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2". Exclaim!. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b Caulfield, Keith (November 8, 2015). "Chris Stapleton Soars to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart After CMAs". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ "Digital Music Chart: 2015-11-28 | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Jump up ^ "Justin Timberlake Lands First Hit on Billboard's Country Airplay Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b "Justin Timberlake – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Justin Timberlake. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b "Justin Timberlake – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Justin Timberlake. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Gaon Chart - 2013.09.29 - 2013.10.05". Gaon Chart. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b "Gaon Digital Chart". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
Jump up ^ Farber, Jim (November 7, 2013). "Concert review: Justin Timberlake kicks off '20/20 Experience' tour with flirty gig at Barclays Center". Daily News. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b Rogiers, Katie (November 5, 2015). "Justin Timberlake Shows Crossover Appeal at C.M.A. Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
Jump up ^ "2015 CMA Awards: 12 Best and Worst Moments". Rolling Stone. November 5, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ "19 Best Music Performances of 2015". Entertainment Weekly. December 16, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
Jump up ^ Thompson, Gayle (June 21, 2014). "'Drink You Away' — Who Sings It Best?". The Boot. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ "David Fanning - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
Jump up ^ "Justin Timberlake – Chart history" Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 for Justin Timberlake. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
Jump up ^ "Justin Timberlake – Chart history" Billboard Country Airplay for Justin Timberlake. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
Jump up ^ "Justin Timberlake – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Justin Timberlake. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
Jump up ^ "American single certifications – Justin Timberlake – Drink You Away". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 11, 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
External links[edit]
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
"Drink You Away" (David Fanning version) on YouTube
[hide]
v
t
e
Justin Timberlake songs
Discography
Justified
"Like I Love You"
"Cry Me a River"
"Rock Your Body"
"Señorita"
Live from London
"I'm Lovin' It"
FutureSex/LoveSounds
"FutureSex/LoveSound"
"SexyBack"
"My Love"
"LoveStoned"
"What Goes Around... Comes Around"
"Summer Love"
"Until the End of Time"
The 20/20 Experience
"Pusher Love Girl"
"Suit & Tie"
"Don't Hold the Wall"
"Strawberry Bubblegum"
"Tunnel Vision"
"Let the Groove Get In"
"Mirrors"
"Blue Ocean Floor"
The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2
"Gimme What I Don't Know (I Want)"
"Cabaret"
"TKO"
"Take Back the Night"
"Drink You Away"
"Not a Bad Thing"
Trolls Soundtrack
"Can't Stop the Feeling!"
"Hair Up"
"What U Workin' With?"
Collaborations
"3-Way (The Golden Rule)"
"4 Minutes"
"Ayo Technology"
"Can't Believe It"
"Carry Out"
"Dead and Gone"
"Dick in a Box"
"Give It to Me"
"Hallelujah"
"Heaven"
"Holy Grail"
"Love Dealer"
"Love Never Felt So Good"
"Love Sex Magic"
"Motherlover"
"The Only Promise That Remains"
"Release"
"Rehab"
"Signs"
"Work It"
"Winner"
Book
Category
Template
WikiProject
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Drink_You_Away&oldid=800323160"
Categories:
2013 songs
2015 singles
Justin Timberlake songs
Songs written by James Fauntleroy
Songs written by Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon
Songs written by Justin Timberlake
Songs written by Timbaland
Country pop
Gospel blues
RCA Records Nashville singles
Songs about alcohol
Hidden categories:
Good articles
Articles with hAudio microformats
Singlechart usages for Canada
Singlechart called without song
Singlechart making named ref
Singlechart usages for Billboardbubbling100
Singlechart usages for Billboardcountryairplay
Singlechart usages for Billboardrandbhiphop
Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs
Certification Table Entry usages for United States
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
Português
Edit links
This page was last edited on 12 September 2017, at 20:28.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

value: img

values: This is a good article. Click here for more information.

attrs: class id

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

value: th

attrs: colspan class style

value: tr

value: i

value: span

values:
/wiki/Jerome_%22J-Roc%22_Harmon
mw-redirect
Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon

values: width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding: .2em .1em .2em 0;

values: width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding:.2em .1em;

values: width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding: .2em 0 .2em .1em;

values: background: transparent; width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;

values: width:33%; padding:.2em .1em .2em 0; text-align: center;

values: width:33%; padding:.2em .1em; text-align: center;

values: width:33%; padding:.2em 0 .2em .1em; text-align: center;

values: Edit section: Composition and lyrical interpretation

values: position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 110px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; height: 0px; width: 0px;

values: left: 50%; top: 50%; margin-left: -35px; margin-top: -27.5px;

values: width:220px width: 220px; position: relative;

values:
/wiki/Pitchfork_Media
mw-redirect
Pitchfork Media

values: Edit section: Live performances and covers

values:
/wiki/Nokia_Theatre_L.A._Live
mw-redirect
Nokia Theatre L.A. Live

values: div-col columns column-count column-count-2

values: -moz-column-count: 2; -webkit-column-count: 2; column-count: 2;

values:
col
headerSort
0
columnheader button
Sort ascending

values: wikitable sortable plainrowheaders jquery-tablesorter

attrs: scope data-sort-type class tabindex role title

values:
col
number
headerSort
0
columnheader button
Sort ascending

values:
/wiki/Sony_Music_Entertainment
mw-redirect
Sony Music Entertainment

values:
/wiki/Daily_News_(New_York)
mw-redirect
Daily News (New York)

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values: List of songs recorded by Justin Timberlake

values: Until the End of Time (Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé song)

values:
/wiki/Heaven_(Jay_Z_song)
mw-redirect
Heaven (Jay Z song)

values:
/wiki/Holy_Grail_(Jay_Z_song)
mw-redirect
Holy Grail (Jay Z song)

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Category:Songs written by James Fauntleroy

values: Category:Songs written by Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon

values: Category:Songs written by Justin Timberlake

values: Category:Articles with hAudio microformats

values: Category:Singlechart called without song

values: Category:Singlechart usages for Billboardbubbling100

values: Category:Singlechart usages for Billboardcountryairplay

values: Category:Singlechart usages for Billboardrandbhiphop

values: Category:Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs

values: Category:Certification Table Entry usages for United States

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Drink_You_Away
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: /static/images/wikimedia-button-1.5x.png 1.5x, /static/images/wikimedia-button-2x.png 2x

values: /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x

values:
suggestions
display: none; font-size: 13px;

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Drink_You_Away rootpage-Drink_You_Away skin-vector action-view