What prevented the use of nuclear weapons in the cold war?

The prevention of nuclear weapon use during the Cold War was largely due to the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), which posited that any nuclear attack by one superpower would result in catastrophic retaliation from the other, ensuring total destruction on both sides. Additionally, diplomatic efforts, such as arms control treaties like the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and various strategic arms limitation talks (SALT), helped to manage tensions and establish frameworks for reducing nuclear arsenals. The devastating memories of World War II and the humanitarian consequences of atomic bombings also contributed to a collective reluctance to initiate nuclear conflict.