Brinkmanship

Brinkmanship was different: it meant deliberately pushing a crisis towards the edge of war to pressure an opponent into backing down. Nuclear weapons could therefore discourage direct war while also becoming instruments of dangerous political pressure.

This was brinkmanship: using the threat of war to force an opponent to compromise. Neither leader needed to want nuclear war for their actions to make it possible.

Both sides were using the possibility of force to strengthen their bargaining position. This was brinkmanship, and it was dangerous because an incident or misunderstanding could turn a threat into actual fighting.