The world's nuclear forces have been constantly upgraded since World War 2, but the basics have stayed the same. Warheads (bombs) can be mounted on ballistic (free flying) or guided missiles, which can have a range from as little as a few hundred kilometres to intercontinental range. They can be fired from aircraft or launched from submarines or warships. Any one of these weapons has the power to destroy a city, instantly killing tens of thousands of people, and maiming or irradiating millions. The explosive power of the U.S. arsenal today is roughly equivalent to 120,000-130,000 Hiroshima-sized bombs.

In July 1996 the World Court found that the possession or threat to use nuclear weapons was generally contrary to international humanitarian law; that is, nuclear weapons are illegal. This gave a tremendous boost to an already broad-based movement for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

US Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations
This is a the draft "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations," dated March 15, this identifies how military commanders could request approval from the US president to use nuclear weapons under a variety of scenarios. The Pentagon site lists this document as unavailable.

The Campaign Against Star Wars
What is Star Wars, and why does the US military want it so badly?

The Atomic Bombings of Japan
The Second World War was concluded with the annihilation of two Japanese cities, the only time atomic bombs have been used in warfare.

The World's Nuclear Forces
Country-by-country breakdown of the weapons still held.

Nuclear Terrorism
The longer these weapons are deployed, the greater the opportunities for their use.

Depleted Uranium
A new take on the problem of what to do with nuclear waste: the US government has taken to making bullets out of it.

The Bombing of the Monte-Bello Islands
Western Australia hosted the first nuclear weapons tests by the British Government, contributing in our own way to the proliferation of nukes around the globe.

nuclear weapons photo gallery

see the
PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT WA (PND)
website for much more

"The question today is, Who wants these reciprocal threats of annihilation, and why? Communism was the issue between the Soviet Union and the United States. The government now in power in Russia overthrew Communism, and today relations between Russia and the United States are cordial. The great nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Soviet Union were created as instruments of the cold war. Now that that conflict has been dissolved, can't the arsenals be dissolved? Now that the war is over, can't we stand down the arms that were built to fight the war? Over a period of years, the peoples of the Soviet empire dismantled the system of totalitarian terror under which they lived. Can't we and they together now dismantle the system of nuclear terror under which we have all been living? Can't we, at long last, abolish nuclear weapons?"
Jonathan Schell
"The Gift of Time"