Nuclear War - the use of weapons of mass destruction powered by atomic processes. Using nuclear fission or fusion, they produce huge explosions and hazardous radioactive by-products. Most are meant to be delivered by artillery, plane, ship, or ballistic missile(ICBM), but some have been miniaturized. Tactical nuclear weapons can have the power of a fraction of a kiloton of TNT; strategic weapons can produce thousands of kilotons of force. Only two nuclear weapons have been used in warfare, each an ATOMIC BOMB dropped on Japanese targets by the U.S. in World War II (1945). After the war, proliferation of such weapons and the development of yet more destructive ones, e.g., the HYDROGEN BOMB, caused worldwide concern. During the postwar period an academic and governmental subculture of people concerned with nuclear strategy emerged. Some called for the use of nuclear weapons in specific situations. Some advocated deterrence, others threats of massive retaliation, and some the elimination of nuclear weapons. By 1993 there were nine nations known to have nuclear weapons, but the U.S. and Russia controlled the vast majority of the nearly 50,000 warheads. Over a dozen other countries can or soon could make nuclear weapons. In addition to radioactive fallout, the potential environmental hazards of nuclear war include NUCLEAR WINTER. Although weapons limitation treaties have been signed and the number of nuclear warheads and delivery systems have declined since the end of the COLD WAR, nuclear DISARMAMENT remains a distant goal. Nuclear War Section Home Map a Blast Multimedia Gallery Nuclear StockPiles © 1999 TeamNuclear