Nuclear warfare
Introduction
Nuclear warfare refers to political strategy or military conflicts involving the use of nuclear weapons. These weapons are devices designed to release energy in an explosive manner as a result of nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or a combination of the two processes. Both fission and fusion are nuclear reactions that produce energy, but the applications are not the same.
History
The concept of nuclear warfare was brought to the forefront during the Second World War with the development and use of atomic bombs by the United States against Japan in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This marked the first and only use of nuclear weapons in warfare.
Nuclear Strategy
Nuclear strategy involves the development of doctrines and strategies for the production and use of nuclear weapons. As a sub-branch of military strategy, nuclear strategy attempts to match nuclear weapons as means to political ends. It deals with issues of deterrence, especially mutual assured destruction (MAD), war fighting, and the prevention of nuclear proliferation.
Nuclear Weapons
Nuclear weapons are a type of weapon of mass destruction that can result in the large-scale loss of life and destruction of property. They are characterized by their ability to cause mass casualties, their potential for a high impact on the environment, and their ability to instigate widespread fear and panic.
Effects of Nuclear Warfare
The effects of nuclear warfare are far-reaching and long-lasting. They include immediate effects such as blast damage and thermal radiation, as well as long-term effects such as radiation sickness and environmental damage. The psychological impact of nuclear warfare is also significant, with the threat of nuclear war leading to fear and anxiety among populations.
Nuclear Proliferation
Nuclear proliferation refers to the spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations that are not recognized as "Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). This can lead to an increase in the risk of nuclear warfare.
Nuclear Disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons. It can also include the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated. The term denuclearization is also used to describe the process of removing nuclear weapons from a country's military arsenal or the cessation of the production of such weapons.