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Nuclear Weapons In World War 2

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World War III. Imagine frequent attacks using weapons of mass destruction and nuclear bombs. Imagine a large-scale nuclear war that would send over 150 million tons of smoke into the atmosphere, blocking the sun and causing an eternity of cold and darkness. The final ramification? The end of life as we know it. Robert S. Norris defines a nuclear weapon as: “a device designed to release energy in an explosive manner as a result of nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or a combination of the two processes” (Norris). Robert Lamb explains that the first successful test of a nuclear weapon occurred on July 16th, 1945 by the Manhattan Project. The project director, J. Robert Oppenheimer, quoted Bhagavad Gita: “Now I am become death, the destroyer …show more content…

Daryll Kimball explains that the NPT currently has 190 states as signatories. The states are broken down into two groups: nuclear-weapon states (NWS)- consisting of the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom- and non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS). In the treaty, the NWS agree to “pursue general and complete disarmament,” and the NNWS agree to “forgo developing or acquiring nuclear weapons.” Articles I and II make it clear that the “NWS agree not to help the NNWS develop or acquire nuclear weapons, and the NNWS permanently forswear the pursuit of such weapons.” Article III gives the International Atomic Energy Agency the duty of inspecting the non-nuclear-weapon states’ nuclear facilities. This Article also establishes guidelines to ensure safe transfer of fissionable materials between NWS and NNWS. Article IV makes sure that the NNWS continue to obtain the “inalienable right” to search, develop, and use nuclear materials for purposes other than weapons. Article V allows both NWS and NNWS to research and develop data surrounding the “benefits of nuclear explosions conducted for peaceful purposes.” This clause has become more irrelevant as time continues. Article VI allows the NWS to “pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an …show more content…

Jennifer Weeks explains that a prime example of a treaty not working would be when Iran made the news for building a secret underground plutonium plant less than 24 hours after the disarmament resolution by the Security Council. Obama recognized the offense and responded by telling Iran that if they did not terminate their nuclear efforts, they would face “sanctions that bite.” Obama proposed economic sanctioning as a tactic to get states to turn away from nuclear proliferation efforts (Weeks 817). Mary H. Cooper recognizes President Bush’s preposition: “President Bush responded to the revelations about [above mentioned] Khan’s network with a plan to strengthen international anti-proliferation efforts, including calling on the U.N. Security Council to require all states to criminalize proliferation of components that could be used to make weapons of mass destruction” (Cooper 297). As research has shown, nuclear weapons pose an extreme threat to the world. This issue should have the foremost attention because a large-scale nuclear war could literally send humans out of existence. While issues like censorship, loss of biodiversity, mental illness, global climate change, artificial intelligence, and pandemics also pose threats to society, nuclear weapons pose the largest threat to humanity

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