Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear weapons are explosive devices whose destructive power derives from reactions between atomic nuclei. They are the most powerful weapons ever created and are capable of causing widespread destruction and devastation. Nuclear weapons have been used twice in history, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945. The large-scale destruction caused by these weapons led to the signing of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which limits the development, testing and use of nuclear weapons by states. The nuclear arms race during the Cold War saw the stockpiling of nuclear weapons by the United States, the Soviet Union and other countries, yet no nuclear weapons have been used since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nuclear weapons continue to be a major source of concern due to their destructive power and their use as a bargaining tool by states. As such, many countries have set up international agreements to limit the spread and use of nuclear weapons.