Description
The possession of nuclear weapons in adversarial relationships is an expression of deep distrust. Consequently, it should not be expected that trust will emerge in such places. Yet, we wish to advance here the counter-intuitive proposition that trust can emerge in such situations, and that this becomes most likely in moments of extreme nuclear danger. What is more, the question of whether trust emerges in nuclear crises may be a critical factor in whether a crisis is managed peacefully. As we discuss in the paper, it was this mechanism that was so crucial to the interpersonal trust that developed between US President John F. Kennedy and his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, during the most dangerous moment of the Cold War, the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Our findings should serve as an impetus for leaders to proactively exercise SDS in their relationships with adversarial counterparts before a crisis point is reached. Yet, should such a crisis arise, the seeds of trust may still germinate in, seemingly, the most infertile ground. Even under the shadow of a nuclear crisis, through empathetic communication and a keen understanding of shared responsibilities, leaders can help foster trust and mitigate the destructive potential of such crises.
