1980s: The Development and Diplomatic Relations of Nuclear Weapons from 1945 to 1990

1980s

One detail that must be realized is that: “Any country, certainly a major power, acting as a unit, is physically free at any time to terminate a rule restricting its conduct, no matter how clearly it was written or how many times it was signed” (Brennan, 57). This fact limits the amount of safety a nation can feel, regardless of how many treaties and agreements have been signed. With this in mind, it is plausible therefore, to come to the conclusion that: “Short of world government, there is no physical control in arms control” (Brennan, 57). The last atmospheric test to date, by any nation, was conducted by China on October 16, 1980. Just under four years later, China signed with the US, the PNCA. A year later, the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty is signed by 16 parties, banning production, acquisition, possession, testing, or control of, nuclear explosive devices. Almost six months later, in November 1985, Brazil and Argentina agree to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes only, by signing the JDNP.

In what is the best attempt yet at national security, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev proposed to US President Ronald Reagan, the elimination of all nuclear weapons by the year 2000. Reagan was disinclined to acquiesce with Gorbachev’s request, politely denying the proposal. The refusal came as a result of the US’s initiative to be the greatest nation in the world, and Reagan believed that in order to maintain this, a nuclear weapons stockpile, in the least, would be required. Donald Brennan comments that, “No arms-control plan will remain effective and dependable unless it continues to serve the national interests of each of the parties, as its leaders conceive those interests” (Brennan, 53). Eliminating all nuclear weapons was not in the best interest of the United States, thus Reagan was forced to reject Gorbachev’s proposal. It is thus reasonable to conclude that by not eliminating all nuclear weapons, Reagan is responsible for the US’s success: “The US has by far the greatest and most flexible military capability in the world, and its nuclear weapon technology is the most advanced” (http://www.fas.org/ rlg/102599nw21.htm).

In March 1986, Reagan proposed using Corrtex, which involves using a new hydrodynamic yield measurement method, to monitor the nuclear sites of countries signed onto the TTBT and PNET, hence ensuring cooperation with the treaties. From the early days of Dec. 1987, arose the signing of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, between the US and USSR. This extremely important treaty eliminated “all ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5500 km” (Mendelsohn, Grahame, 2). This greatly reduced the threat that each nation posed to the other. For added security, and to reduce the risk of a nuclear war, in May 1988, the US and USSR agreed to notify each other of all ICBM and SLBM launches at least 24 hours in advance. This concurrence became known as the Ballistic Missile Launch Notification Agreement. To conclude the decade, Russia conducted its last nuclear test to date, before entering into a unilateral moratorium involving several countries.

Works Cited
Andrews, Elaine K. Civil Defense in the Nuclear Age. Franklin Watts: New York. 1985.
Brennan, Donald G. Arms Control, Disarmament, and National Security. George Braziller: New York. 1961.
“Foreign Missile Developments and the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States through 2015.” National Intelligence Council. Sep. 1999. 29 Mar 2004 .
Garwin, Richard L. “Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century: Prospects and Policy.” 23 Oct. 1999 – 25 Oct. 1999. 29 Mar. 2004 .
Mendelsohn, Jack, and Grahame, David. Arms Control Chronology. The Center for Defense Information: Washington D.C. 2002.
“Nuclear Weapon.” Wikipedia. Nov. 2000 – 29 Mar. 2004. 29 Mar. 2004 .
“Nuclear Energy.” Harper’s Magazine. April 2004. 29 Mar. 2004 .