1. Missile Madness

2. Missile Madness Terms –
Warhead – the bomb
Kiloton – 1,000 tons
Megaton – 1 million tons – explosive force of 1 million tons of TNT
MIRV- multiple independently deployable re-entry vehicle – can shoot it out into space; has multiple warheads to hit multiple targets
ICBM – intercontinental ballistic missile
SLBM – sea launched ballistic missile
Tactical Nuclear Warhead – battlefield; small
Strategic Nuclear Warhead – big; threaten an entire nation

3. ICBM
SLBM
MIRV
Strategic Nuclear
warhead
Tactical Nuclear Warhead

4. A Short History of the Nuclear Arms Race – HW Assignment – right side
Directions: create a timeline of the key events in the nuclear arms race. Include the following events with a 1-2 sentences summary:
Hydrogen bomb
MAD
Negotiations (failed)
Test Ban Treaty
Detente
SALTI
ABM
SALT II
START
STARTII
NPT

5. Countries with formal nuclear capabilities
Five nations are formally recognized as nuclear weapons states. They are:
China: between 100 and 200 nuclear warheads
France: approximately 350 strategic (those designed to hit a specific targeted location) weapons
Russia: 4,237 strategic weapons, 2,000 to 3,000 tactical (designed for use in a military battle) weapons, and 8,000 to 10,000 stockpiled weapons
United Kingdom: Less than 160 warheads
The United States: 5,914 strategic weapons, approximately 1,000 tactical weapons, and approximately 3,000 stockpiled warheads.

6. Other nations North Korea has conducted several nuclear tests
Three countries, India, Pakistan, and Israel, are not formally recognized as nuclear countries, though they are known to posses such weapons.
India and Pakistan underwent a series of matching tests in 1998 (India did a test drop, then Pakistan, then India, then Pakistan, etc.)
Israel has never publicly acknowledged or denied possessing nuclear weapons.
Iran: On March 1st, 2009, the top American military official announced Iran possesses enough materials to produce a nuclear bomb

7. So, do we need these?
In your opinion, do nuclear weapons make us more or less safe? Why?
The United States has stated that we have the right to use nuclear weapons in retaliation to any attack that includes WMDs. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Does the United States have the authority to decide which countries get to have nuclear weapons? Why or why not?
Should the United States continue to develop biological or chemical weapons? Why or why not?

8. What can we do?
Nuclear non-proliferation treaty (1968): 189 countries have signed. Limits countries from selling or building nuclear weapons, asks for limited disarmament, and allows for nuclear energy research
The United Nations Security Council has also established special commissions to evaluate whether or not countries are complying with non-nuclear agreements (like in Iraq)