Nuclear weapons have fundamentally transformed the human condition, ushering in humanity's first epoch of potential total annihilation. Through critical analysis of 1950s nuclear capabilities and strategic policies, Dresner challenges prevailing assumptions about atomic warfare and presents three key assertions: our unprecedented historical circumstance, the genuine possibility of nuclear conflict, and the necessity for radical solutions matching this radical threat. Drawing on philosophical argumentation, scientific testimony, and military intelligence assessments, the analysis systematically dismantles common nuclear deterrence theories based on morality, mutual fear, and limited warfare concepts. The research exposes critical vulnerabilities in American defense systems, particularly regarding intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched weapons, while demonstrating the inherent instability of deterrence strategies founded solely on retaliation threats. Neither military defense capabilities nor diplomatic solutions through international agreement provide adequate safeguards against nuclear catastrophe. Conventional approaches to preventing nuclear war—whether through military superiority, diplomatic negotiations, or reliance on divine intervention—prove fundamentally insufficient given the magnitude and novelty of the atomic threat facing mankind.