Robert J. Oppenheimer

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Robert J. Oppenheimer

• We knew the world would not be the same. A few
  people laughed, a few people cried, most people
  were silent. I remembered the line from the
  Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is
  trying to persuade the Prince that he should do
  his duty and to impress him takes on his
  multi-armed form and says, Now, I am become
  Death, the destroyer of worlds. I suppose we
  all felt that one way or another.
• -J. Robert Oppenheimer

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BRAVO Test Fallout Pattern
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Hydrogen bomb crater from test

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Results of Fallout

• Entire population exposed to symptoms of nuclear
  poisoning nausea, diarrhea, loss of hair, skin
  burns.
• Ten years after blast, 90 of those under 12 on
  Rongelap at time of BRAVO developed thyroid
  tumors.

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1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty

• US, USSR, UK Prevents nuclear testing anywhere
  above ground or in the ocean. Only underground
  testing allowed.

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1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty

• US, USSR, UK, Prevent spreading of nuclear
  weapons in 133 non-nuclear-weapon states.
• Signatories pledged not to develop or acquire
  nuclear weapons.

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1972 SALT I /ABM Treaty

• US, USSR, Agreed that each country could have no
  more than two ABM systems, and only within its
  own territory.

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1972 SALT I Interim Agreement

• US, USSR, Agreed for first time to limit
  strategic ballistic-missile launchers and
  missile-firing submarines.

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1979 SALT II Treaty

• US, USSR, set limits on offensive weapons.
• 2,400 assemblage limit on nuclear vehicles
  (ICBMs, SLBMs, bombers.
• 1,320 assemblage limit on MIRVed ballistic
  missiles.

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1991 START

• Cuts U.S. long-range nuclear weapons by 15 and
  USSR by 25.

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1993 START II

• Overall strategic forces reduced by 5,000
  warheads.
• Dec. 4, 2001, each Party must reduce total number
  of its strategic warheads so not exceed 4,250.
• Dec. 31, 2002, each Party reduce warheads so not
  exceed 3,500.

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1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

• US, CIS, UK and 90 non-nuclear-weapon states
  would ban all nuclear tests anywhere.
• US signed but has not ratified treaty.
• Nations who have not signed or ratified treaty
  India, Pakistan, North Korea.

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Total Warheads

• U.S. - 7,200
• Russia - 5,972
• China - 700
• France - 449
• United Kingdom -185