The the Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles had used the phrase "on the brink" and it was seized by those who wished to belittle him and he was accused of trying in a dangerous way to be implying that the US would use nuclear weapons.- wwh

I too remember "brinkmanship" being first used in the scenario you have outlined above Bill, and John Foster Dulles was right. Brinkmanship worked. Europe was saved and the evil of aggressive communism has been thwarted without recourse to nuclear weapons. I'm glad aren't you?