Attempt to Internationalize the Atom

In June 1946 the United States presented a plan to the newly formed United Nations organization. The plan called for the creation of an international agency that would have authority to control and inspect all atomic-energy activities worldwide. After such an agency was established, the United States would hand over its atomic secrets, scrap its existing atom bombs, and not make any more.

The Soviet Union asserted that atomic weapons should be done away with first. Once that was done, then control and inspection arrangements could be worked out. The issue became deadlocked, and in the cold-war years that followed, hope of UN control of atomic weapons perished.

Attempts at Arms Control

Though the history of weapons development may suggest that the nuclear arms race has continued with absolutely no restraint, a number of agreements have been reached. Some of these limit testing or establish ceilings on certain weapons systems, while others inhibit the spread of nuclear weapons to nonnuclear states.

These agreements have been reached only through painstaking, time-consuming efforts. And no agreement has significantly reduced existing weapons.

At the core of the problem is this: The superpowers deeply distrust and fear each other. Ironically, the insecurity that results merely generates a demand for more weapons. More weapons, in turn, make each side appear increasingly sinister and menacing to the other; hence, people feel less secure than ever.

Human Solutions

Scientists, scholars, generals, and politicians have written extensively about this subject. Increasingly they view the nuclear arms race as costly, futile, and extremely dangerous. They propose various solutions. Some call for complete disarmament. Others want a freeze on weapons production. Still others suggest a ‘star wars’ defense. Last January the two heads of the superpowers offered encouraging statements. Mikhail Gorbachev proposed a step-by-step process to rid the earth of nuclear weapons by the year 2000. Ronald Reagan said he was grateful for the offer. A serious peace plan or a propaganda ploy? All these proposals have one thing in common​—they all point to some human solution.