Tsutomu Yamaguchi

This is 93 year old Tsutomu Yamaguchi.  He is the ONLY recognized survivor of both atom bombs dropped on Japan. First in Hiroshima, then in Nagasaki only three days later. This truly shows the destructive power of these weapons. Out of the hundreds of thousands of people only one man survived.⁽⁴⁾

The Manhatten Project

The Manhatten Project was a project led by the United States in 1942-1946, during the time of WWII.  It also had support from the United Kingdom and Canada.  The Project was started from fear that Nazi Germany was, at the time creating Nuclear Weapons.  Their goal was to create stable Nuclear Weapons before the Germans. I In the end they did succeed although they never used them against Germany. Instead they used the weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

 The project created 130,000 jobs at a cost of $2 Billion to the United States.⁽²⁾

Public Service Announcement

I find it ridiculous that they filled peoples minds with these lives back then.  As of course, most of us know that NO amount of hay bales, cinder blocks, sand bags or fertilizer will protect you from nuclear fallout.  They made these videos simply to make civilians feel safe in the case of a nuclear attack.

Motives

With countries like North Korea it seems like the only reason they want to possess Nuclear Arms is because they know that most other countries DO NOT want them to have them! They ensure that people will continue to trade with them and such, by scaring them not to. No country is going to cut off communication with them as then they will simply attack them. As I have previously mentioned they did in fact once sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, they then backed out of it. They most likely backed out as they saw the opportunity to do as I have stated above.

Why have Nukes?

One reason it seems countries wish to possess nuclear weapons, is so that other countries with them are to afraid to strike first as they know a strong counter attack will be quickly followed.  It is a game of fear.  Everyone is too afraid of being nuked that they are afraid to nuke others.  No one actually intends to use them, they are simply there to scare people.  Countries using nuclear weapons in this way has eliminated the purpose of having them.  Would it not be easier if everyone got rid of their nuclear weapons?  All they are doing is costing tax-payers money for no apparent purpose.

Effects of Radiation on Humans

As we know, radiation sickness has serious effects on humans.  But just how serious? And what are the symptoms?

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1. Hair loss- Many radiation victims lose their hair quickly, and in clumps. ⁽³⁾

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2. White blood cell count- Victims to radiation have their white blood cell count considerably lowered, leaving them more susceptible to sickness. ⁽³⁾

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3. Gastrointestinal tract- Radiation damages your intestinal tract, this leads to things such as vomiting blood, nausea and diarrhea. ⁽³⁾

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4. Reproductive tract- When exposed to even low levels of radiation the reproductive organs of the human body can be damaged.  Because of this, victims to radiation often become sterile.⁽³⁾

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I don't know about you, but it seems to me that none of these symptoms are particularly friendly.  Why, even though people know the many effects of the dangerous radiation nuclear weapons give off, do we continue to create them?

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a treaty regarding policies on nuclear weapons.  The word proliferation is defined as "rapid growth or increase in numbers"⁽¹⁾.  The treaty states that no country other than the 5 nuclear armed states (Russia, United States of America, United Kingdom, France and China) are allowed to possess nuclear arms.  It also says that they may not transfer their nuclear weapons, make more nuclear weapons or encourage others to make nuclear weapons.  As of now only 4 countries have not signed the NPT.  These countries are: Israel, Pakistan, India and North Korea which withdrew from the treaty in 2003.⁽²⁾⁽³⁾

I believe that if a country can simply back out of a treaty (as North Korea did) as soon as it stops being in its best interest, then it should have never signed the treaty to start off with.  The ability for countries to do that eliminates the whole point of having a treaty.

What are Nuclear Weapons?

Nuclear weapons are defined as: "An explosive device whose destructive potential derives from the release of energy that accompanies the splitting or combining of atomic nuclei.”⁽¹⁾ Unlike other common explosives, nuclear weapons cause many lasting effects. Other explosives are dangerous because of their initial shock. Nuclear weapons are dangerous in two ways. 1. The initial shock of the blast 2. The nuclear fallout⁽²⁾ which remains for years and is just as deadly. The shock of the blast is the same as any other explosives. The nuclear fallout however is where the lasting effects come from. Some of its main effects are: contaminating once fertile soil, poisoning the animal food chain and it causes disease to peoples children.