Cold War first strike without retaliation?

I realize this is probably highly implausible, but here goes:

The scenario is that, at any point between 1970 and 1991, either the US or the USSR launch their missiles.

Is there any chance at all that the other power will not retaliate, on the basis of their leadership deciding that there is no point to a retaliatory strike? That after the war, it would be less impossible to rebuild if at least one major power is still around? Or not wanting to stain their country's name with pointless bloodshed when the writing is on the wall?

Or would the response to a missile launch be automatic and unstoppable once detected?
 
We are lead to believe the response would be unavoidable the moment massive launch was detected and confirmed. That was the entire point of detterent. If anyone thought it was bluff, they were not eager to test it. Fortunately.
 

Kaptin Kurk

Banned
Yeah, I don't think so. Hollywood writes the stories of people being all noble and such in accepting the death of their kids and wives and other assorted family members but not responding. In real life, both sides had psychologists, and the type of people who would let their countries, wives, kids, and very lives be estinguished by the enemy and not respond are so few, and weeded out. Evryone who has a button to push, beside perhaps the President since he is elected, would push the button, if the option was non-competitative. (Military psychologist would only place highly competiative people in that position.) No, we don't lose alone. We all lose.
 
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