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It's often said that the USSR (and the US) had a policy of nuking countries that were/could be a threat to them after a full nuclear exchange even if they're ostensibly neutral.

Is this true/plausible?

Would the USSR for example nuke Switzerland to avoid its use as a safe haven by its enemies or to make sure it won't be a future threat?

An example for the US would be taking out Hanoi and Cam Ranh Bay/Haiphong harbor in Vietnam to prevent the USSR from using it as a port for their surviving ships.
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