The Dangers Of Nuclear Weapons

Two main theorists of international relations, Kenneth Waltz and Scott Sagan have been debating on the issue of nuclear weapons and the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the 21st century. In their book The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: An Enduring Debate, they both discuss their various theories, assumptions and beliefs on nuclear proliferation and nuclear weapons. To examine why states would want to attain/develop a nuclear weapon and if increasing nuclear states is a good or bad thing. In my paper, I will discuss both of their theories and use a case study to illustrate which theory I agree with and then come up with possible solutions of preventing a nuclear war from occurring.

When President Truman authorized the use of two nuclear weapons in 1945 against the Japanese in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II, the nature of international security was changed irreversibly. At that time, the United States had what was said to have a monopoly of atomic bombs. Soon thereafter, the Soviet Union began working on atomic weaponry. In 1949, it had already detonated it first atomic bomb and tensions began to heat up between the two countries. With the information that the Soviets had tested their first bomb, the United States began work on more powerful weapons1, and a fight for nuclear superiority had begun.

The dropping of the atomic bomb was the first of many nuclear projects. The first project was called the Manhattan project. Three bombs were created, one was a test, and the two others were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, cities in Japan. These bombs created mass destruction for the two cities; buildings were obliterated, fires erupted, and radiation spread for miles. After foreign countries saw what the United States was capable of, countries all around the world started to develop their own nuclear weapons, creating a surplus of weapons of mass destruction. “Today, eight countries in the world have nuclear arsenals (weapon supplies). The United States and Russia (formerly part of the Soviet Union) have most of the world’s nuclear weapons. Other countries with nuclear arms include China, France, India, Israel, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom” (Kroenig). Following World War Two, the Soviet Union and the United States were leaders of nuclear weapons. This period was called the Cold War. Forty-five years of potential nuclear destruction loomed over the Soviets and Americans. It wasn’t until after the Cold War that diplomats created the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. The Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, or NPT for short, recognizes the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom as nuclear weapon states. Nearly every country in the world is a member of the treaty, even if they do not possess nuclear weapons, by law they state that they are a nonnuclear

During the cold war, both nations built up massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons to achieve nuclear supremacy over the other. Both the soviets and the US hoped to use nuclear weapons as leverage against each other by assuring Mutually Assured Destruction, or MAD.

After World War II, tensions reached a new high in the United States. The American people experienced Cold War fears, which changed the way they lived, and acted politically. The U.S. was at ends with the Soviet Union, and this tension manifested itself into the population through the fear of nuclear missiles, and communism, and thanks to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and his administration, many of these fears were resolved, or at least minimized.

On August 6, 1945 the first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, instantly killing 66,000 people. The dropping of the bomb also had broader circumstances as it forced the surrender of Japan, officially ending World War II. However, the end of World War II marked the beginning of the political conflict and military tension between Russia and the United States known as the cold war. The “war” became global as it as it transformed from the U.S.S.R. vs. the United States to NATO vs. the Warsaw Pact. The Cold War ended in 1991, and now about twelve countries are confirmed or suspected to possess nuclear weapons. Globalization has advanced both the spread of nuclear weapons, and their disarmament. Non-proliferation efforts

The United States’ dropping of the nuclear bomb, a weapon of mass destruction, in an effort to quickly take Japan out of the war had many more side effects than originally anticipated. For one, it incited the Soviet Union to fast-track their research and production of nuclear weapons, which led to a tense situation between them and the United States. Each side was waiting for the other to initiate before putting to use the many nukes they had been manufacturing after the end of World War II. Although, the concept of MAD, or mutually assured destruction, prevented either side from taking

"As the bomb fell over Hiroshima and detonated, we saw a whole city vanish. I wrote in my log the words: 'My God, what have we done? '" These were the words voiced by Captain Robert A. Lewis, the co-pilot of the Enola Gay air ship that dropped one of the two particle bombs that struck Japanese soil. This was the primary case of the utilization of atomic knowledge as weaponry and the impacts were destroying. Did the bombings leave Japan pulverized, as well as the whole world saw what some have called an atrocity. The repercussions of the episode was stunning. Expansive structures were lessened to rubbles while hints of the tenants of the region were basically nonexistent. On account of this, there is no contending that atomic weapons are the absolute most dangerous weapons that any nation could have. On the off chance that these weapons were to fall under the control of the wrong individuals, intense results could follow. As far back as the bombings in Japan, many inquiries have risen; ought to the improvement of atomic weapons and atomic insight be put to an end? What might the impacts be were the circumstance to rehash itself now that innovation is considerably more progressed? It has been contended that atomic weapons are advantageous in light of the fact that they are an indication of force and give the nation wellbeing. Then again, others trust that atomic weapons ought to be wiped out in light of the fact that their ruinous power is just excessively cataclysmic.

Nuclear weapons were a crucial aspect throughout the history of the Cold War. Scientific and military development in the early 20th Century had demonstrated the potential of atoms and other properties to create large-scale nuclear weapons. The developments of the arms race within the context of World War I and World War II further led to the emergence of nuclear weapons for combat. Countries such as the United States, USSR, and Britain also sought to create effective nuclear weapons. Subsequently, the major application of nuclear weapons emerged when the US dropped two atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Whereas President Truman mainly sought to protect Americans from further deaths by launching atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the USSR posed a different question. Did Truman consciously drop the bombs to intimidate the USSR? Therefore, the Soviet Union interpreted the use of these nuclear weapons as an anti-Soviet move. This further set the basis of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race between the two countries. In this case, the United States use of nuclear weapons in the Second World War was crucial to intimidate the USSR and its emerging global dominance to set the foundation for the emergence of the Cold War.

A multi-dimensional theoretical framework must be established in order to comprehend the full idea of nuclear weapons, deterrence, and when deciding whether the use can be justified. Researching various perspectives can assist the ethical decision making process by educating the readers on the position of the Catholic Bishops and International Relations Theory. Trying to determine the ethics of nuclear weapons requires different lenses of theoretical framework such as a realist and liberalist view that can be subcategorized into offensive and defense strategic structures. On the foundation of numerous statements such as the Catholic Bishops and various resources of International Relations, this essay will analyze the ethics of possessing

“I wanted to make radiation, visible” as a result the bomb became the beast. (Brothers, pg1). Metaphors in Cinema exist to help the public cope with societal problems such as death and fear of some kind. There is one monster in particular Godzilla, who was created through fear of an already existing threat atomic bombs. Godzilla a product of Japan, was used as a coping mechanism for their fear of the atomic bombs. Japan was the only country that suffered the effects of the atomic bombs. Not only did they have to cope with the fear of the nuclear bomb, but, with the effect of the bomb. Yet, the United States also needed a coping mechanism for cold war paranoia, and fear of science. Thus, the creation of “Them!” giant mutated ants that symbolized Americans fears. These films use the symbolism of destruction to show their fear and belief in the dangers of using science to make things such as nuclear weapons, and in even some occasions to show the destruction of a particular political ideal such as communism. Gigantic monsters are symbols that represent societal fear. The origins of these films is not one of entertainment, they exist to warn society and help society cope with their fears of death through events such as the atomic age. Monster films like Godzilla and big bug movies; show how humans turn their fear of death into symbolism, in monster movies. Threats and fears like nuclear bombs, atomic age, science, ideals, and war make people feel helpless, films like Godzilla

There was an unintended nuclear attack that could be claimed as failure of positive control because according to the positive control of nuclear system means those weapons shall always be deployed according to the legitimate order if the attack is attempted without a legitimate attack then it reflects the failure of positive control of the nuclear weapon.

Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous weapons on earth. One can demolish a whole city, potentially killing millions, and exposed the natural environment and lives of future generations through its long-term catastrophic effects. According to the UNODA- United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (2011), “Although nuclear weapons have only been used twice in warfare- in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945-about 22,000 reportedly remains in our world today and there have been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date.” Nuclear weapons have been viewed as a threat to peace by world leaders. There have been debates of whether to let Iran and North Korea acquire nuclear weapons, leaders all around the world along with Liberals believe that it is a threat to peace and should limit the spread whereas neo realist have another belief that nuclear weapon can make the world a peaceful place. Because states would fear to attack each other. For example the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 and cold war- there were only threats and war did not happen because of nuclear deterrence. The Cuban missile crisis has frequently been portrayed as the only time where the world stood in the point of nuclear war between the superpowers. This is an example of how nuclear weapons were used to threaten the rival. Another examples would be that of India and Pakistan before they acquire nuclear weapon , they fought three bloody wars after having their independence but since 1998, after acquiring

Throughout history many progressions in science and technology have set us ahead of other nations both scientifically and militarily. The use of new technology to set us ahead of other nations was imminent. With the creation of planes and tanks in the First World War the advancement of new technology and nation destroying weapons were not far off. With the threat of the Germans creating Wonder Weapons which could win them the war and the world we enlisted the help of defected German scientists and Americas greatest minds scientifically and military alike. With the fear of losing hundreds of thousands of troops in japan we used the first atomic bombs setting a new world standard for warfare and changing the way our nation was viewed. The

One of the foremost growing concerns in the modern globalized world is the increasing rate of nuclear proliferation. Coupled with the burgeoning number of nuclear devices is the threat of a terrorist possibly obtaining a weapon of such magnitude. While one could argue that the rising number of states with nuclear capability is a disturbing prospect, particularly as many pursue such capabilities without the approval of the “traditional” nuclear powers, terrorists in possession of nuclear arms presents the most horrific outlook concerning nuclear proliferation. Terrorist groups, unlike states, are not organized governmental bodies, which complicates any means of formalized diplomacy or negotiation. Furthermore, unlike as compared to a