nuclear weapons

uranium 235, plutonium 239, & uranium 233

chemical isotopes used to make bombs

fission

gets power through splitting an atom and initiating a nuclear chain reaction to produce energy

fusion

forging hydrogen atoms together to create a new isotope

nuclear winter

any large-scale use of nuclear weapons will cause firestorms so sizable, that the release of smoke, dust, and fallout will result in drastic climate effects (cold weather and reduced sunlight)

electromagnetic pulse (emp)

instantaneous intense energy field that disrupt at a distance numerous electric systems

image of fission

image of fusion

image a shows…

warhead prior to firing

image b shows…

Primary stage fires, starting fission reaction of Pu core

image c shows…

Fission reaction emits x-ray radiation, reflects inside casing, irradiates polystyrene foam

image d shows…

Polystyrene transforms into plasma, compressing plutonium sparkplug, secondary fission begins

image e shows…

Fusion fuel produces Tritium (3H), starting fusion reaction, U tamper fissions, fireball forms

critical mass

minimum amount of radioactive material needed to sustain a chain reaction

supercritical mass

amount of radioactive material needed for fission to increase

enrichment

procedure for separating u-238 from u-235 and increasing the concentration of fissile material

short range

<1000km

medium range

1000-3000km

intermediate range

3800-5000km

intercontinental range

5000+km

strategic

long-range, high-yield, strategic targets (to win the war)

non-strategic/tactical

short-range, long-yield (to win the battle)

delivery systems

aircraft, land/ground, sea

triads

combines all 3 legs of delivery systems

dyads

combines all 2 legs of delivery systems

transmutation

neutrons discharged by one atom would stimulate the next and so on

einstein-szilard letter

letter drafted by Leo Szilard and Eugene Wigner to Rossevelt delivered by Einstein warning about Nazi atomic bomb, recommending to set up their own atomic weapons programme

the manhattan project

rushed to deploy first atomic bomb before Nazi Germany

4 bombs in the manhattan project

the gadget, little boy, fat man, thin man

the trinity test

july 16, 1945 & first detonation of a nuclear weapon

trinitite

element created in trinity test

policy of containment

policy which seeks to protect all we have

deterrence

to make an adversary not do something

compellence

to make adversary do something

coercion

influencing adversary’s incentive to they behave a certain way

nuclear deterrence

strategy intended to prevent from an attack by threatening retaliation in advance

for deterrence to work…

must have the capability to retaliate & potential attack must belief plan will follow through

mutually assured destruction

full-scale use of one nuclear power on another would be met with such overwhelming retaliatory response that both the attack and defender would be annihilated 

extended deterrence

deters attacks not only on oneself but also one’s allies

limitations to deterrence

credible threats are costly, proliferation incentives, arms race dynamic, assumes rational leaders, relies on perception, it goes both ways

nuclear posture

incorporation of some numbers and types of warheads into a state’s overall military structure

capabilities, employment doctrine, & common and control

main nuclear posture details

nuclear doctrine

set of principles which guides a state’s nuclear forces supports its objective

nuclear declaratory policy

statement about the role of weapons for state’s security policy

declaratory policies

security assurance, no first use, & sole purpose

security assurance

pledge to protect allies from attacks and to to not attack non-nuclear states compliant to NPT

nuclear weapons treaty (NPT)

hinders a state from using nuclear warfare

no first use

a commitment by a nuclear-armed state to never be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict

sole purpose

defining role of weapons for sole purpose

counterforce

targets adversaries military structure, provides damage limitations, & requires large and diverse forces

countervalue

target population centers move in line with arms control but at the expense of civilians; relies on smaller, less diverse, and less precise arsenal

brinkmanship

the practice of pushing crises to the brink to gain coercive leverage & exploiting the existence of uncertainty by taking steps to intense war

the madman theory

belief that being perceived as mad can help leaders gain coercive leverage

nuclear revolution theory

nuclear weapons revolutionized international politics because they make military victory impossible

mueller’s irrelevance of nuclear weapons

nuclear weapons influence rhetoric, public discourse, defense budget but not the course of history

stability-instability paradox

the likelihood of nuclear war declines while conventional war increase

nuclear taboo

the “normative inhibition” against the (first) use of nuclear weapons, reflected in public opinion, international agreements, a de facto prohibition