The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Weapons

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By definition, a nuclear weapon is an explosive device whose destructive potential extracts from the release of energy that comes from the splitting of an atomic nuclei. Nuclear weapons are still pretty new in development. It all began in August of 1942, the United States started the Manhattan Project to develop their first nuclear weapon. Only three years later the first nuclear weapon testing was held in New Mexico, on July 16, 1945 by the United States (NWT). And from there the United States were the first to create and use any form of nuclear weapons. There are many positive and negative viewpoints toward nuclear weapons and their is still a long way to go to advance the technology for nuclear weapons it is interesting to see what would …show more content…

There are positives for the idea of having nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons were created as a defensive mechanism towards outsider threats. They act as a key suppressant against major threats and wars starting up again and discouraging bad governments from showing signs of aggression (OccupyTheory). Nations who publically own nuclear weapons are more likely to be feared and have rival nations stay away from them and from weaker nations due to the power of the weapon. It is a sign of strength and the nations who do have it are less likely to be invaded, than a nation who does not have nuclear weapons. Nations who have nuclear weapons benefit from having them, because they become known as powerful states and that is a good reputation to have, so rival states don’t attack them. Most nations do not want a nuclear attack in their homelands and would avoid any …show more content…

First off being the cost and maintenance of the weapons. These weapons cost tons to build and maintain, and can cause a dent in a nation 's treasury department (OccupyTheory). Studies show the United States will spend at least $179 billion over the nine fiscal years of 2010 to 2018 on its nuclear arsenal, averaging $20 billion per year, with costs increasing from $16 billion to $25 billion per year over that time period (NTI). So once a nation can fund the nuclear weapons, they have to look past their moral ethical beliefs to actually use the weapon. Serious questions abrupt when a nation plans on developing these weapons due to the power of the weapon. Due to the increasing development of nuclear weapons in the 1980s the United States and Russia set up a meeting in October 1986 where US President Ronald Reagan and Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev met in Iceland to discuss plans of abolishing nuclear weapons (NWT). On December 8, 1987, the US and Russia sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty to eliminate all land-based missiles that reach distances of 300-3400 miles (NWT). Another negative result of nuclear weapons are the damage it can create, environmentally and physically. Not even one month after the United States first tested their nuclear weapons in New Mexico, they put their weapons to use during World War II. A time which will forever be remembered in

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