No attacker could ever strike first and escape a crushing retaliatory blow.

My intention was to strike a quick, retaliatory blow aimed primarily at the airfield and its aircraft that had attacked us.

But he also appeared to anticipate that a retaliatory blow was imminent.

I fell back, shielding my head, waiting for the retaliatory blow.

Each would calculate that the other side could strike first while using this son of Star Wars to guard its population from a retaliatory blow.

Tingo Drosset's head ached from the retaliatory blow.

Most important, if both sides had offensive missiles to attack with and defenses to blunt a retaliatory blow, mutual deterrence would be eroded.

So does Sidney, who comes out of seclusion to deal retaliatory blows with authority.

For 40 years, neither side has dared launch a nuclear attack because neither could blunt a devastating retaliatory blow.

The more warheads relative to missiles, the easier to destroy those missiles (and bombers on the ground), and blunt a retaliatory blow.