A tiring affair that’s lasted decades, nobody wanting to step over the redline, whilst everyone pushes to outweigh the competitor: nuclear warfare. It’s a conflict that serves no benefit to our society, relaying fear to our civilians and oblivious to the true severity of these world defining weapons. Nuclear weapons were an alarming development in human history, becoming mainstream due to the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the hands of the United States in the 1940’s. These bombs instantaneously killed over 100,000 people on impact, scarring generations to come from the immense radiation. Initially, this desperate grasp to end World War II spilled into the strenuous conflict of the Cold War.
By the 1950’s and 1960’s, nuclear technology had evolved from the fission bombs into enhanced hydrogen bombs with the ability of decimating entire cities in the blink of an eye. Mutually assured destruction (MAD) is a common term used to describe the mutual understanding that Nuclear Warfare could lead to otherworldly outcomes and consequences. There still remains a fragile imbalance of true rationality and restraint, seemingly conspiring new conflicts.
The testing and stockpiling of these monstrosities continue; experiment sites have contaminated environments which leaves questions and fear about the years to come. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 illustrated the sheer excellation of disagreement, showing how easily human error can push us to the point of nuclear disaster. International treaties have been made, like the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Arms Reduction Agreement, contributing to slowing the nuclear manufacturing—disregarding the fact that modern powers still try to enhance their tactical nukes to unseen territory.
The true destruction of nuclear warfare lies not only in its devastating force, but in its permanence—once unshackled, it will lead to the obliteration of civilizations, ecosystems, and our future world. Humanity’s survival is leaning on the hope of restraint, diplomacy, and the moral courage to keep these weapons untouched as conflicts ensue.
