Throughout the world select countries have been trying to gain the edge on each other by all means available. This competition ranges in all categories such as economics, agricultural, and most importantly sheer force. Powerful countries attempt to deter any thought of invasion or strike by a foreign nation by having an end all playing card. The end all playing card is nuclear weapons, nations of this status have given themselves false securities by creating a game of mutually assured destruction between developed nations. However, these bombs of utter destruction have only been used twice. The real damage has been caused by all aspects of these weapons from creation and testing of these bombs to deployment of them. In nearby communities, cancer rates increased, childhood deformities increased, mental impairments increased. This paper answers what is a nuclear weapon, how are they dangerous, when they were used in history, and the future of nuclear weapons. We will look at past and present examples to answer these topics.
First developed by the United States in the early 1940’s and quickly reproduced by the Russians, nuclear weapons soon became the countries deterrent of choice. Nuclear weapons come in two different kinds. First came fission, the “dirtier” smaller bomb, followed by a much larger but cleaner fusion bomb. A fission reaction is the result of splitting uranium or plutonium into two equally comparable masses. Splitting the atoms is a result of giving the atoms supercritical mass, achieved by compressing sub-critical mass by either explosives or firing particles at each other. The fusion bomb or thermonuclear bomb uses the power of fission to ignite a hydrogen fusion reaction. The output of the fusion reaction dwarfs the power of a single fission reaction. Enough energy is released to cause multiple subsequent fission reactions after the fusion reaction takes place.1
First what is released when nuclear weapons are tested? Above ground, hundreds of different radionuclides are released and spread around the immediate area all the way into the atmosphere. The spread of the nuclear fallout depends on the type of weapon used and weather patterns on that particular day. The radionuclides released that let off radioactively charged particles wreak havoc on the body. With alpha and beta particles, they are slow moving and even human skin can stop them from entering the body. However, many of these particles settle on soil and crops that can be ingested. This is where the real problems occur and the radioactive material can break apart DNA causing debilitating symptoms and cause an increased risk of can cancer. A more long-distance consequence of nuclear testing comes from gamma rays released. This high energy form of radiation can penetrate human skin and move much faster than the previously discussed.2
Before the effects were known dangerous experiments took place putting all parties at risk including scientists, immediate bystanders and even nearby settlements. The first nuclear test conducted by the United States took place in New Mexico in 1945. The weapon was detonated on a 100-foot tower constructed for the test to simulate an air released attack and reduce the amount of radioactive dust produced by the explosion. The bomb produced an explosion of 20 kilotons of TNT; it was an exact replica of the bomb dropped on Nagaski. The explosion was so immense it left a crater 1000 feet wide and 10 feet deep. The extreme heat caused the sand to melt forming a reflective, radioactive layer called “trinite”. Terrifyingly, none of the nearby populations were evacuated prior to the test due to the secretive nature of the experiment and lack of awareness of the dangers of radiation. Some farms were only 15 miles away from ground zero. People in nearby areas received huge amounts of radiation. In the worst areas, people were receiving 10000 times the recommended exposure level.3
The first nuclear weapons ever used in combat were used by the United States against Japan. Two bombs were dropped, the first bombs target was Hiroshima, and the second bomb hit Nagasaki. The effects of the first bomb were devastating, resulting in the loss of approximately 70,000 lives the first day and almost doubled over the next four to five years due to radiation sickness and other injuries. The bomb was so powerful the Japanese government did not believe that kind of devastation could be caused by a single bomb. The refusal of surrender pushed the United States to drop a second bomb on, Nagasaki, the city lost roughly 40,000 the first day and again doubling the total in the following years. After this, the Japanese government surrendered as the continuation of the war would be too much to bear. This was the first and only time nuclear weapons have been used in conflict. For Americans, this was a moment of triumph, and showed the world the means of power we had.4
With the United States successfully showcasing the world’s most powerful weapon, the Soviets were not far behind. In 1949, Russia detonated a bomb almost identical to the first one tested by the Americans. Both nations holding such weapons began the nuclear arms race that fueled the cold war. Russia almost exclusively tested their nuclear bombs at Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site(SNTS). The site is still to this day one of the worst radiation hot beds in the world. One such test in 1956 taking place at SNTS resulted in 638 cases of radiation sickness, this is four times the amount experienced at Chernobyl. The government of Russia did not even take studies of nearby populations until 1956, meaning the results could have been more disastrous than thought.5
Little to no research has directly come out of North Korea to address the detrimental effects nuclear testing has caused on their population. However, defectors have shared their stories painting a picture of how life in nearby communities are affected. Defectors have coined the illness associated with living nearby to nuclear facilities as “ghost disease”. They are told by the government it is caused by poor nutrition and living conditions are to blame, however once they left North Korea they began to realize it was due to radiation poisoning. Some symptoms they have witnessed are children born with severe deformities, so bad that sometimes gender cannot be determined. Other symptoms include hair loss, weight loss, and cancer reported by people with so called ghost disease. All the symptoms coincide with what we have learned in class to be radiation poisoning. These have all been seen before first in the United States then the Soviet Union, followed by multiple other so called advanced nations.6
Currently the United States has recently began reinvesting in its nuclear division. There are three ways for the United States to fire a nuclear weapon, this system is called the “nuclear triad”. The three branches of the nuclear triad are, intercontinental ballistic missiles(ICBM), nuclear subs called, “boomers,” and lastly nuclear bombs capable of being dropped from bomber aircrafts. The set-up is comparable to Russia and the two countries have treaties to at any point inspect eachothers nuclear facilities. This is to determine if each country is keeping up with their end of the deal such as only a certain amount of nuclear tipped missiles allowed in a sub at one time. Also, this rule is the make sure the threat of deterrence is always present.
What has stopped nuclear testing? Due to concerns of devastation should a nuclear war break out, nuclear developed countries got together in 1968 to sign the treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear weapons (NPT). The goal of this treaty was to accomplish three main things, non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear weapons. Non-proliferation states that any of the five-nuclear weapon recognized states cannot aid, deliver, or induce any manufacturing in a non-nuclear state. Also, they cannot use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states. Next disarmaments goal was to stop the nuclear arms race, slow nuclear development, and eventually lead to complete cessation of nuclear weapons. While this did help stop the nuclear arms race, it has not done enough to stop their usage as a deterrent. Lastly, peaceful use of nuclear weapons aimed at allowing signees of NPT the rights to clean nuclear energy as long as they do not attempt to enrich uranium for purposes of making a nuclear weapon. This is the longest acting treaty for nuclear weapons and the most prevalent throughout the world.7
Even with almost universal agreement that nuclear weapons should no longer be used or produced countries like North Korea a still threatening the international community’s safety. The international community has rallied to come up with a solution to disarm the Korean Peninsula. The world does not need more nuclear weapons in it, especially in the hands of a military minded tyrant. Some attempts at a solution currently in use have mainly been sanctions implemented by the Security Council. The problems seen is it has not been effective at slowing the development and testing of nuclear weapons by the North Korean regime. However, these crippling economic sanctions will start having an effect on the innocent population something that is trying to be avoided by the United Nations. Other attempts to stop them is a show of force by the United States and South Korea. The two nations have been running extensive drills in the region to try and deter the Hermit Kingdom from continuing along nuclear proliferation. Only time will tell if these attempts at disarming the Korean Peninsula without conflict are successful.
In the world we live in, with all the advancements in technology, agriculture, and healthcare, it is time to stop the nationalistic approach of nation supremacy. We need to disarm all nuclear nations and stop the constant threat of nuclear war. While this is not likely, it very well could be the direction we are heading in the current future as more countries realize the dangers of these weapons. The pain and sickness caused by the development, testing, and deployment of these weapons have been felt by all parties. The time to make the change is now.