Nuclear Weapons

The discovery of atomic energy ushered in a new world and the growth of the Nuclear Age.  The United States of America led the way in this technological revolution. This creation was discovered with the hope of peace, yet instead has brought forth the means of mass destruction and the anxiety of global annihilation. In a neutral manner, it’s the purpose of this presentation to provide a brief history of the creation, growth, proliferation, current status of nuclear empowered states, and varying viewpoints regarding nuclear proliferation.  In addition, current threats due to nuclear proliferation will be presented, along with thoughts on possibly man’s best opportunity to avoid catastrophe.

Nuclear Weapons History and Overview:

The MANHATTAN PROJECT spawned the 1^st atomic bomb. This ultra-secret project searched for weapons capable of ending the bloody conflict of World War II. In today’s currency, the 1^st atomic bomb cost 20 BILLION DOLLARS to produce. This $20 billion bomb of destruction led to the creation of LITTLE BOY and FAT MAN, the bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing an end to the worldwide war of carnage. In 1952, the hydrogen bomb IVY MIKE was tested and wiped the island Elugelab completely off the face of the earth. Later came BRAVO, America’s largest bomb capable of delivering the never-before-seen destructive force of 15 MEGATONS. America dominated the nuclear weapons program leading to an arms race and worldwide nuclear proliferation. Surprisingly, though we never hear anything about it, there are 11 U.S. nuclear bombs that have been lost and never recovered, the “Missing 11”.