The doomsday machine was designed for total destruction from "summary" of The Doomsday Machine by Daniel Ellsberg
The doomsday machine, as envisioned by military planners, was not intended to serve as a mere deterrent or a limited tool of warfare. Its sole purpose was to bring about total destruction on a scale never before seen in human history. This was a weapon designed to annihilate not just enemy combatants, but entire populations, leaving nothing but devastation in its wake. The concept of the doomsday machine was rooted in the belief that the threat of mutual assured destruction would prevent nuclear war. The logic was that if both sides knew that any attack would result in their own annihilation, they would be deterred from launching a first strike. However, this logic was based on the assumption that rational actors would always act in their own self-interest, a dangerous assumption when dealing with the ultimate destructive power of nuclear weapons. The design of the doomsday machine reflected a mindset that prioritized military superiority above all else. The idea was to create a system that would ensure a devastating response to any at...
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