Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
President John F. Kennedy signs the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
On August 5 1963, an international treaty was created that limited all nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in space, and underwater. The UN allowed tests but they were strictly limited to underground. This agreement is known as the Limited Test Ban Treaty. This document was put in place because of the results of previous tests, an immediate result of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the further understanding of radioactive material and nuclear weapons.
As the world became more knowledgeable about the environment and human health, nuclear weapons were questioned for the affect they would have on society. The idea that birth defects and genetic damage could be caused by these nuclear warheads shocked the world. After the Cuban Missile Crisis interests in creating a treaty peaked and soon it became a governmental proposal. Many nations agreed to the idea and talks began. Hundreds of countries got together to create the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
As the world became more knowledgeable about the environment and human health, nuclear weapons were questioned for the affect they would have on society. The idea that birth defects and genetic damage could be caused by these nuclear warheads shocked the world. After the Cuban Missile Crisis interests in creating a treaty peaked and soon it became a governmental proposal. Many nations agreed to the idea and talks began. Hundreds of countries got together to create the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
President Kennedy signs the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
Interview with Paul Hughes, chief of staff for the United States Institute of Peace - he talks about the Limited Test Ban Treaty.
This treaty showed the world how bad a nuclear situation could have been. Countries saw that the two world powers, the Soviet Union and the USA, wanted to end nuclear weapon spreading so badly that these other nations jumped on the nuclear non proliferation bandwagon. This important treaty ultimately led to the creation of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. This agreement completely restricts the testing of all nuclear weapons in any environment. Without these non nuclear pacts the world would be in risk of nuclear warfare today. As you can see in the picture below, the number of nuclear weapons tests has decreased rapidly since the Cuban Missile Crisis.