Just the name “nuclear weapons” would be enough to instill fear into the minds of people. These things have been used in the past, particularly during World War II, and had devastating effects. While many people argue that there is nothing good to come from these weapons; it is not entirely true. Here are the pros and cons of nuclear weapons:
List of Pros of Nuclear Weapons
1. They serve as a war deterrent.
By having these weapons, smaller countries would stand a chance of defending themselves against larger nations with more military capabilities and money. This makes them less likely to be invaded, increasing the possibility of peace. Alliances would also be developed with countries that do not have them. In fact, the protection that those without nuclear capabilities received from those having these weapons has prevented many international conflicts over the years.
2. They represent power for a nation.
Nuclear-capable nations have benefited from the power and status that comes with the territory. For example, while others view North Korea as small and insignificant, many others pay attention to their wishes and actions, since the country has a large fighting force and some nuclear weapons. As no one wants to experience a nuclear attack, other countries do whatever they can to avoid any conflict with North Korea.
3. They are useful for global defense.
With nuclear weapons, a country would be far less likely to be attacked by other nations, even if they have a nuclear arsenal. The better a country can defend itself, the more likely that no one will want to risk going against it, resulting in more peacetime. This also makes it easier to work out diplomatic talks because no one really wants to engage in a conflict that would end up with the use of nuclear warheads.
List of Cons of Nuclear Weapons
1. They can incur great human losses.
There is great potential for human loss when a nuclear war happens. The damage these weapons can cause to the regions they hit can last for decades. In fact, conflicts that bring nuclear weapons into play are dangerous for the entire world, so it is always better to find diplomatic solutions to avoid these wars and the use of any weapon that can cause such devastation.
2. They can bring about a nasty environmental impact.
This con is proven by the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. With the dropping of a nuclear weapon, an extraordinary amount of damage was done to the Earth people, not only humans. Thermal radiation is produced by these weapons’ explosions, which are followed by massive firestorms that can destroy huge areas of land. What’s worse, the recovery process can take a lot of years.
3. They require high maintenance and cost.
Nuclear weapons cost money to build and maintain, even having a negative effect on a country’s treasury. This would make it difficult for the country to invest in other important things that it really needs.
There are many factors to consider about nuclear weapons and on how to handle them in the future. But by weighing down the pros and cons, we can come up with a well-informed decision ourselves.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
