Publication

The article presents the results of a research on the efficacy of nuclear assurances in preventing nuclear proliferation. It examines the case of South Korea in the 1960s, 70, and 80s, the United Kingdom immediately following World War II and the US during the Cold War. It argues that effectiveness of security assurances depends on the ally’s perception of the credibility of the patron’s assurance, factors like troop deployment are important in this. In addition, findings suggest that assurances can influence the speed of proliferation and can be used in conjunction with sticks to prevent allied nuclear proliferation.