Essay Example: Nuclear Bomb War

The use of nuclear weapons in the contemporary society is among the most dreaded of warfare imagined. The term nuclear war is associated with the utilization of nuclear warheads by a nation's military to damage the resources and military might of the enemy. Inherently the usage of atomic warheads has had a significant adverse impact on the cities they hit. In fact, the use of nuclear warheads is associated with irreversible consequences such as the immediate destruction of cities through its heat wave, as well as the resultant fall out that may take months or years for it to end. Nevertheless, the use of nuclear missiles was observed in Japans cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the end of the Second World War. The immediate impact was the death of more than one hundred and twenty thousand personages living in the cities at the time. The infrastructure of the two cities was also instantly destroyed leading to losses in billions of dollars.

Nuclear weapons have atoms that are in a state of constant volatility and as such a nuclear weapon is considered as radioactive. Also, it may be considered as being radioactive if the vital atoms in the bomb are yet to collide. However, it is imperative to fathom that a nuclear warfare cannot happen by itself. Political factors associated with differences between various nations results in the extensive use of military combat, in which the respective countries at war may opt to conduct nuclear strikes on the enemy. Nevertheless, in as much as the use of nuclear material may be unwarranted and opposed, some countries have integrated nuclear energy generated through either fusion or fission to provide electricity..

Events Leading to the Drop of a Nuclear Bomb

Nuclear bombs are the inventions of the United States through the help of the British during the Second World War to bring the war to an end. The Japanese only surrendered after the destruction of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. These were the only nuclear weapons to be used in the war for the first time. Since then, however, there has never been the use of nuclear weapon in the entire world. During the time that the United States was making the bomb due to their already acquired level of technology, the Soviet Union made the same weapons within a few years.

Events after the Drop of the Nuclear Bombs

During the new Cold War, there was a very significant hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union and the two sides had very many nuclear weapons already. However, none tried to use them on the other either directly or indirectly. The use of atomic weapons could obliterate the countries. Initially, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was limited to either one or two bombs, however, if there could be any other war, the number of nuclear weapons wouldnt be limited. For instance, if the United States could attack the Soviet Union with their atomic weapons, the Soviet Union could do the same immediately. This situation was known as the Mutually Assured Destruction or balance of terror hence it brought to an end the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union that could bring World War III.

While the Communist rule termination in both Russia and Eastern Europe can be celebrated to have eased the tension that was piling between American and Russia, the nuclear proliferation is, however, a significant worry. The leading countries of the world who are currently having nuclear weapons include India, China, France, Britain, North Korea, Pakistan, and Israel. The scenario for such a situation has been driven by the fact that the technology in use is cheaper and easy to use. The main fears are that the countries with unstable governments and even the terrorists might get access to the technologies and build nuclear weapons.

Nuclear War in Fiction

According to the filmmakers and writers after the Second World War, they have imagined how life could be during and after the nuclear war. One common effect that these authors capture is the great destruction and death and a situation whereby the survivors will be living without medicine, food, and power. Civilization might break down completely bringing forth primitive societies.

Effects of Nuclear War

There is no exact estimate of the number of deaths that might be caused by the global nuclear exchange. It is because there are very many new effects of nuclear weapons that are currently being discovered by scientists through the revision of the current models. The nuclear weapon usage can have two effects, that is direct effect such as death and health issues and indirect effects which include political, social and economic disruption. An approximated deaths of up to 160 million (77%) was estimated in the United States if the US and the Soviet Union have a nuclear exchange. The deaths in the Soviet, however, could be up to 40 percent. The report, nevertheless, did not put into consideration the secondary effects such as electromagnetic pulses as well as the level and kind of ramifications that would occur on the modern technology as well as industry.

There are a lot of effects that have been speculated should there be a full nuclear exchange. Some of the primary impacts that would occur if the nuclear bombs go off simultaneously would be a nuclear winter. The nuclear winter would occur since the whole world would be blanketed by long-lasting airborne sand that filters out sunlight hence causing death in the most parts of the world. Research has shown that if the nuclear weapon that's 100 times bigger than that used in Hiroshima would create a significant effect on the agriculture in the whole world. Among other leading results as far as agriculture is concerned would be the contamination of soil that would make anything produced agriculturally to be unsafe for consumption. Other effects would be health hazards and genetic abnormalities. It would create a similar scenario as that of Central Ukraine and Southern Belarus after Chernobyl disaster.

The possible effects of nuclear war have been downplayed by the hawks who have a belief that the nuclear war is winnable. The enormous impacts of spending on such initiatives as Strategic Defense Initiative as well as the National Missile Defense are both considered to be unsuccessful.

One of the techniques that have been considered to be very useful in the use of nuclear war is not to have one. Take an example of India and Pakistan that decided to acquire nuclear weapons; they have reached a point that they can only solve their issues amicably since they both have nuclear weapons and hence are not ready to destroy their regions. The effects of the nuclear strike, however, has never been considered to be that dread to the extent that Kargil War could not be stopped. The possibility of the countries launching the nuclear weapons made the United States offer mediation services between the counties because they understood the danger involved in nuclear exchange to the whole world. However, due to computer errors, the global nuclear exchange almost occurred accidentally. Whether short-term or long-term effects of nuclear weapons, it is hazardous to the whole world to have such an experience.

War with the Nuclear by-products

Some of the main atomic by-products include depleted uranium and a dirty bomb. A dirty bomb is an explosive that spreads specific radioactive substances. This bomb does not cause effects as those caused by nuclear weapons, and the size of the bomb does not need to be significant. Theoretically, these weapons have been depicted to be used by terrorists. There are very dangerous materials and devices that the terrorist are trying to acquire such as the biological, chemical and nuclear exploits. The terrorists based on martyrdom can be willing to spend and have these devices made for them. The behavior of a terrorist is not motivated by the need to have a high body count per se but is due to political and psychological reasons. A Dirty bomb is, therefore, one of the devices that people are afraid of because of its effects.

The detonation of a dirty bomb can cause a great damage and radioactive effects that have a direct effect on health hence causing immediate death. There are however very many dirty bombs whose delivery system is not nuclear based. Inherently, it has never been used. It is called cobalt bomb. It is made by the use of non-radioactive cobalt isotope however when the neutrons are released; it turns to a radioactive cobalt.

Conclusion

Nuclear war is one dangerous activity that the world should not think of getting involved into as it will bring the end of most lives on earth due to the ever increasing nuclear bomb effects based on their radioactive nature. There are no chances that one can survive the nuclear weapon effect. This can only be possible when one leaves the earth completely or is highly shielded with the anti-radioactive apparatus which cannot be possible. According to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons, it is illegal to transfer the nuclear weapons from one country to the other. This treaty also prevents the rest of the countries who are already in possession of the weapons as well as the technology and materials needed to build a nuclear bomb from helping the countries to develop thrown nuclear weapons. The nations that are having the nuclear weapons are advised by the Treaty to hold peaceful negotiations especially if there are conflicts. This tells how dangerous the weapons are. The nations such as Iran and North Korea have been accused of doing civil motivation to assist them to build even more powerful weapons. It is of great importance therefore that even the computers which are controlling the nuclear bomb should be well treated as they can launch the deadly weapon.

Bibliography

Bostrom, Nick. 2002. Existential risks. Journal of Evolution and Technology 131.

Margulis, Lynn. 1999. Symbiotic Planet: A New Look At Evolution. Houston: Basic Book.

Robock, Alan, and Owen B Toon. 2012. Self-assured destruction: The climate impacts of nuclear war. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 6674.