Historical Context

Nuclear Non-Proliferation

The use of nuclear weapons started on July 16th,1945 in a desert near Alamogordo, New Mexico by J. Robert Oppenheimer. The first-ever tested nuclear weapon, “Trinity,” was set off on top of a steel tower, creating a huge fiery cloud that destroyed everything in its radius. This test run alone changed the world’s weapons forever, as after the testing of Trinity, the United States used its newfound weapons in battle. On August 6, 1945, the bomb, “Little Boy,” was dropped on the city of Hiroshima in Japan and caused a massive impact. The 9,000-pound bomb, made of uranium, killed and wounded over 130,000 people living there, along with destroying several miles of land. The United States bombed Japan again on August 9th, 1945 with a bomb called “Fat Man,” which was dropped on the city of Nagasaki in Japan and proceeded to kill or wound 223,000 people living there. Thousands were later killed from the toxic effects of radiation poisoning originating from these bombs. These attacks caused Japan to formally announce its surrender, which led to the ending of WWII.

Pictures from the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Source: Wikipedia

Shortly after, countries began to research and produce their own nuclear weapons, resulting in several testings over the years. In response to the growing amount of nuclear weapons, the International Atomic Energy Agency was established on July 29th, 1957. Its purpose was to create and promote peaceful usage of nuclear technology, along with assisting in safer and more practical research techniques. Further testing carried on for several years, leading to the establishment of nine countries to become nuclear powers: the United States, Russia, India, the United Kingdom, Israel, France, Pakistan, North Korea and China.

For decades, treaties have been in place to achieve nuclear non-proliferation among these countries, and the world. There are dozens upon dozens of treaties on nuclear weapons themselves, with varied goals spanning from nuclear safety to the regulation of the production, use, and prohibition of nuclear weapons, as well as treaties for the creation of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones. The two that have been most prominent in achieving nuclear non-proliferation worldwide have been the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, created in 1968, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, also called the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, created in 2017.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons set a precedent for the peaceful use and development of nuclear energy without the furthering of the creation of nuclear weapons/warfare and is the longest-lasting binding treaty for this purpose. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was put into effect in January of 2021; 51 countries have already ratified or acceded to the treaty, and an additional 37 have signed. While both appear to have the same overall objective, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons may put the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at risk, as when states sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, requirements for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons may not be completed, leaving components of the treaty ineffective.

Signing of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

British Treaty on the Non-Proliferation

Source: Britannica

As of 2021, many countries, excluding the main nuclear powers, are looking towards national disarmament, and on January 22, 2021, the production, testing, financing and threat of nuclear weapons were made illegal under the The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Unfortunately, none of the nuclear powers signed, meaning they still have authority to use and test nuclear weapons as they please. Despite the public greatly favoring governments to sign, an increasing number of countries are investing in nuclear power programs, meaning reform on many current treaties may soon be necessary.

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