The Devastating Impact of Weapons of Mass Destruction

The Devastating Impact of Weapons of Mass Destruction

A burning ball was so bright and vivid overhead. Confusion arose when they realized that it was 8:15 a.m., and that the sun had already risen that day. The people of Hiroshima remember that day as "the day the sun rose twice" (Motro). They ran in a state of panic as the images of people's shadows were burned into the cement. This mayhem happened all because of the use of a weapon of mass destruction.

The definition of a weapon of mass destruction is "a device, object, or substance that a person intends to use to cause multiple human deaths (Vernon). According to this definition, things like nuclear, biological and chemical bombs fall into this category. Many people think that, "such acts deserve universal condemnation"(biological weapons). The use of weapons of mass destruction is wrong. They are illegal, morally wrong, mentally disturbing, and the effects of the impact last forever.

As far back as documented history can tell humans were using weapons to kill each other (Ali). When humans first started to make arrows, they were dipping them into animal waste so that the waste would act like poison. Rebehn M.D. writes, "The weapon of choice against a civilian enemy became biological, then chemical and nuclear, as soon as scientific advancement and technological development made them available."

After World War II, the Hague convention was signed. This made it illegal to use weapons of mass destruction. The Geneva Convention, another official document, was signed in London, Moscow, and Washington on April 10, 1972. This particular Convention prohibited the use and production of chemical and biological weapons. While this particular document makes it illegal, most countries are still accused of making such weapons. Everyone was fearful that the Japanese and Germans were developing such weapons (Ali).

In the society that Americans live in, it is not acceptable to kill another human being. By using biological or chemical agents, people are doing just that. Innocent people found themselves caught up in a military struggle for power. The chemical or biological weapons used do not distinguish between soldiers and civilians. Think about little babies with open sores all over them or becoming so sick that they suffer and eventually die. The use of a regular bomb would eliminate the suffering that usually occurs after an attack. Furthermore, bombs would not be dropped on civilians anyway.