Nuclear Weapons
In the beginning The Atomic Bomb was constructed to end a war and save lives. Since that time fear and power have risen because of the threat of world destruction. Coming from Los Alamos, New Mexico a town that makes nuclear weapons I have a different view than most. In Los Alamos we always have protesters with big signs calling the scientist, that work at The Los Alamos National Laboratory, killers. Now when I drive by and see these signs I can not help but think of my father, stepmother, and all my neighbors, all of my friends’ parents as being killers. I know and love these people and to see them called killers is a strange concept to grasp. The following will discuss nuclear weapons and what the intended use is, where and how nuclear weapons became a problem, the effect it has had on the world, the problems it has caused, what is being done about the problems. Nuclear weapons are the backbone and liberator of our great country. To put a tool used to insure our great country on the backburner would be a great injustice and would put our country in grave danger.
Many people ask why do we still need all of these weapons or killers as they are often referred to as? They think that we have enough already and what is the point of continuing the excess. Instead of thinking of nuclear weapons as killers we should be looking at them as lifesavers. In that light I think everyone would agree that you could not put a limit of the value of life. Everybody hears the statistics about the United States having enough weapons to blow the world up three times. This may be true, however as technology advances so do weapons and you can bet other countries are not settling for the weapons they already posses. If we were to stop the production of nuclear weapons we would be alone in that effort. When we have people like Sadam Hussain in the world, which we always will, we need the protection that only nuclear weapons can provide. If people think that trying to bargain with a man like Hussain without safety net is plausible then they are hugely mistaken. It would be like using a typewriter instead of using a computer because we have an abundance of typewriters. “It would be wrong to assume that a broader conception of international security makes it easier to achieve the goal of nuclear abolition” (Cowen-Karp 6).
Together with the Soviet Union we have made the crucial breakthroughs that have begun the process of limiting nuclear arms. But we must set as our goal not just limiting but reducing and finally destroying these terrible weapons so that they cannot destroy civilization and so that the threat of nuclear war will no longer hang over the world and the people.
We are told, "To love thy neighbour" and "To treat." our enemies, as we would want to be treated. " If you were to look at these commandments you would see that nuclear warfare could never be justified, and if you do provoke a nuclear war, you should be punished. That brings me into the second reason why countries retain nuclear weapons and that is a threat. It is a way of protecting your country, but you will protect yourself and retaliate if provoked.
Imagine a society where everyone has a different opinion about dropping an atomic bomb to country that they are fighting with. What is an atomic bomb? An atomic bomb is a bomb which derives its destructive power from the rapid release of nuclear energy by fission of heavy atomic nuclei, causing damage through heat, blast, and radioactivity. The atomic bomb is a tremendously questionable topic. Nonetheless, these literary selections give comprehension on the decision about dropping the atomic bomb for military purposes. For example, the “Speech to the Association of Los Alamos Scientists” by Robert Oppenheimer, argues that we should have drop the atomic bomb, “A Petition to the President of the United States” by 70 scientists, asks President
Atomic Bomb The use of the atomic bombs on Japan was necessary for the revenge of the Americans. These bombs took years to make due to a problematic equation. The impact of the bombs killed hundreds of thousands of people and the radiation is still killing people today. People today still wonder why the bombs were dropped. If these bombs weren’t dropped on the Japanese the history of the world would have been changed forever. The Atomic bomb took 6 years to develop (1939-1945) for scientists to work on a equation to make the U-235 into a bomb. The most complicated process in this was trying to produce enough uranium to sustain a chain reaction. The bombs used on the cities cost about $2 billion to develop, this also making the U.S. wanting to use them against Japan. “Hiroshima was a major military target and we have spent 2 billion dollars on the greatest scientific gamble in history- and won.” (3) The bomb dropped on Hiroshima weighted 4.5 tons and the bomb used on Nagasaki weighted 10 kilotons. On July 16, 1945, the first ever atomic bomb was tested in the Jamez Mountains in Northern New Mexico, code named “Gadget.” The single weapon ultimately dropped on Hiroshima, nicknamed “Little Boy,” produced the amount of approximately twenty- thousand tons of TNT, which is roughly seven times greater than all of the bombs dropped by all the allies on all of Germany in 1942. The first Japanese City bomb was Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. An American B-29 bomber, named Enola Gay, flown by the pilot Paul W. Tibbets, dropped the “Little Boy” uranium atomic bomb. Three days later a second bomb named ”Fat Boy,” made of plutonium was dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. After being released, it took approximately one minute for Little Boy to reach the point of explosion, which was about 2,000 feet. The impact of the bombs on the cities and people was massive. Black rain containing large amounts of nuclear fallout fell as much as 30km from the original blast site. A mushroom cloud rose to twenty thousand feet in the air, and sixty percent of the city was destroyed. The shock wave and its reverse effect reached speeds close to those of the speed of sound. The wind generated by the bombs destroyed most of the houses and buildings within a 1.
Nuclear Arms, as opposed to conventional arms, generate their destructive force from nuclear reactions. The issues that are related to the use of nuclear weapons is also far different than the issues generated by conventional bombs. The long term
As World War 2, came to a close, The United States unleashed a secret atomic weapon upon the enemy nation of Japan that was quickly recognized as the most powerful wartime weapon in human history. They completely destroyed the entire Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and essentially vaporized countless innocent Japanese lives. Some historians believe that it was a foolish, brutal decision to use the atomic bomb on a weakened Japan, and that the civilians of the country did not deserve that kind of mass-annihilation. On the opposite side, other historians assert that dropping the bomb saved countless American and Japanese lives by ending the war faster than a regular invasion would have. What is undisputed is that this sad event dramatically changed the course of human history.
In today’s society, many countries and even citizens of the United States question the U.S. government’s decision to get involved in nuclear warfare. These people deemed it unnecessary and stated that the U.S. is a hypocrite that preaches peace, but causes destruction and death. Before and during World War II the U.S. was presented with a difficult decision on whether or not to develop and use the atomic bomb. The U.S. decided to develop the atomic bomb based on the fear they had for the safety of the nation. In August 1939 nuclear physicists sent manuscripts to Albert Einstein in fear the Germany might use the new knowledge of fission on the uranium nucleus as way to construct weapons.
Also today is the danger that life is extinguished on earth through such a horrible weapon , not over. Many states are in possession of nuclear bombs , because that means for them power. Even dictatorships and unjust regime like China and North Korea have nuclear weapons.
There are at least 17,300 nuclear weapons in existence, with North Korea at the least with less than 10, the US is in second place with 7,700 nuclear weapons and Russia has the most with 8,500, enough to wipe out the world’s population many times over and 2,500 (7%) of these weapons are ready to fire at a moment’s notice. Nuclear weapons today are much more powerful than ever before, but what are the real effects of these explosive killing machines? Nuclear weapons are Dangerous to the world’s population and should be eliminated from their use in global warfare. These weapons not only kill thousands on the initial explosion, but they also leave hazardous materials behind, killing just as many people from radiation poisoning for miles from the blast point. Though it would be impossible to completely remove these weapons, we should restrict their use in warfare and make sure no nation starts a nuclear war. Using just one weapon has never been enough and this could not just lead to a global war between countries but, a war between the most powerful countries in the world. I believe that weapons as powerful as these should be restricted from use, but should still be owned by countries.
Nuclear weapon is a new kind of technology that gives us an unprecedented power over nature and humanity. The technological decisions regarding nuclear weapons will have a huge impact upon all nations around the world and even future generations. “Of all the unprecedented powers in our hands, none is potentially more destructive than nuclear weapons. For forty years we lived with the threat of a nuclear holocaust that could wipe out a large part of humanity and other forms of life” (Barbour, 200). This technology increases the power of one nation, or a small group of nations, over other nations and nature. Corruption, a shadow of power, lurks around the corner where power is present. With the advancement of nuclear weapons technology, the chances of a “master race” wanting to dominate the world is not far fetch. The possibility of a second Adolph Hitler is high, and this time the existence of humanity is at risk. We need to approach this area of technology with caution and with modesty because these devices have incredible destructive power. As the technology advances and the devices become more powerful, we need to become more careful to use them wisely or the extinction of the human race and other life forms are at stake.
In August 1945, the atomic bombings of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan were guided by the United States during the final stages of World War II. It was led by the United States with the help of many scientists willing to construct the world’s first nuclear bomb. Many feared new warfare technology, for it contained the ability to cause mass destruction and devastate the human population. This was a major topic of concern for many during the Cold War Era, and has carried over to the present day. Nuclear destruction was avoided by the Soviets and the United States by fighting in proxy wars, such as the Vietnam War, Korean War, and political crisis in the Middle East. (www.americanhistory.si.edu.) This was seen as a new technique of delegacy that benefited the human population instead of nuclear bombs. During the economic and political tensions of the Long War, nuclear weapons worried many who were concerned for the future of humanity and themselves. (Sherwin) However, for many, nuclear activity demonstrated the expansion of human innovation and intellectuality. Scientific discoveries were highly praised, especially those who strengthened a nation’s military power. For the US, their invention and discover of nuclear weapons demonstrated their dominance over global interaction, especially over the Soviet Union. (Goodman) The introduction of nuclear technology brought forth new techniques of warfare that led to the end of WWII and further concerns in the time of global expansion.
sent to find how far the Germans had come in the building of the atomic
The development and usage of the first atomic bombs has caused a change in military, political, and public functionality of the world today. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki revolutionized warfare by killing large masses of civilian population with a single strike. The bombs’ effects from the blast, extreme heat, and radiation left an estimated 140,000 people dead. The bombs created a temporary resolution that lead to another conflict. The Cold War was a political standoff between the Soviet Union and the United States that again created a new worldwide nuclear threat. The destructive potential of nuclear weapons had created a global sweep of fear as to what might happen if these terrible forces where unleashed again. The technology involved in building the first atomic bombs has grown into the creation of nuclear weapons that are potentially 40 times more powerful than the original bombs used. However, a military change in strategy has came to promote nuclear disarmament and prevent the usage of nuclear weapons. The technology of building the atomic bomb has spurred some useful innovations that can be applied through the use of nuclear power. The fear of a potential nuclear attack had been heightened by the media and its release of movies impacting on public opinion and fear of nuclear devastation. The lives lost after the detonation of the atomic bombs have become warning signs that changed global thinking and caused preventative actions.
The Cold War was a time of great tension all over the world. From 1945 to 1989, the United States was the leader and nuclear power and was competing with the Soviet Union to create huge stockpiles of nuclear weapons. However, even though the Cold War ended, nuclear weapons are still a threat. Countries around the world strive to create nuclear power, and they do not promise to use it for peaceful purposes. Some examples of the struggles caused by nuclear weapons include the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Iran’s recent nuclear weapon program. Surely, nuclear weapons have created conflict all over the world since the Cold War era.
In 1945, when the Americans bombed Hiroshima, Japan, approximately 140,000 men and women were instantly killed by the effects of American nuclear defense. With such extreme brutality and force how many people must die for one to finally realize the strengths of nuclear bombs and what damage they can cause. Nuclear weapons should be outlawed because they kill thousands of innocent humans at a time, destroy the environment, and inviolate human’s right to moral and personal freedoms.