At the time they were first developed, tactical nuclear weapons <i>were</i> intended to be used in a full-scale war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.  There was an opinion in the military establishment that chemical and low-yield nuclear weapons would be used to a limited degree on the battlefields of an otherwise conventional war.<p>I don&#x27;t think this view is as crazy at it sounds on the surface.  I don&#x27;t think the US and UK would launch a general nuclear strike if, say, Soviet Frontal Aviation put a nuclear-tipped cruise missile into the USS <i>Eisenhower</i> or Seventh Army engineers blew strategic bridges with nuclear demolition charges.  It&#x27;s a dangerous line to flirt, though.