Nuclear Arms Essay - 627 Words

Nuclear Arms On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was devastated by a most cruel and terrible new bomb, as described by Emperor Hirohito, one of the Axis leaders during World War II. Since then, nuclear weapons have become a major threat to humanity as more and more missiles, bombs, and other weapons are created by different countries. Today, many nations, including the United States and Russia, are working together to disarm their stockpile of nuclear weapons. Germany first started developing a fission bomb in 1939. Albert Einstein, along with other scientists, realized this and wrote to President Roosevelt regarding the threat to the Allies. Shortly after, the United States began serious efforts to produce an atomic bomb, later†¦show more content†¦A large plant was built in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that had the sole purpose of separating the different forms of uranium. Using a process of magnetic separation devised by H. C. Urey, Ernest Lawrence successfully solved this major problem. Six years, and two billion dollars, were spent by some of the greatest minds in the world to create the first weapon of mass destruction. Led by J. Robert Oppenheimer, the team of scientists detonated the new bomb on July 16, 1945. Although successful, the general reaction was far from ecstatic. Many people on the project signed a petition to never use such a device. I am become death, said one person, the destroyer of worlds. Shortly after Hiroshima was attacked, Nagasaki fell victim to this terrible weapon. Emperor Hirohita, fearing continued destruction, surrendered immediately. World War II was finally over, but the ‘Atomic Age’ had just begun. In August, 1949, the Soviet Union detonated its first nuclear bomb. As a result, the US and the USSR began a race to compile an arsenal of the most powerful weapons as possible. This led to the development of the hydrogen bomb, a much more devastating version of the atom bomb. An H-bomb uses both nuclear fission and fusion to create a huge explosion. First, an uncontrolled fission reaction takes place, which creates extreme temperature and pressure. This massive force activates a fusion reaction, creating a very destructive blast at least five times theShow MoreRelatedArms Control (Nuclear Disarmament)1285 Words   |  6 PagesArms Control (Nuclear Disarmament) Arms control refers to any international limitation or regulation where developing, testing, producing, deploying, or even using weapons is concerned on the basis that it is inevitable for some national military establishments to continue existing. 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