A scaffold to provide background to the issue of elimination of nuclear weapons

1. MUN Issue: The Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons
The possibility of a nuclear war is perhaps the scariest and
deadliest idea humans could be faced with.
With the number of nuclear weapons and their immense power, they
could destroy the world.
This is why it is very important for the international community to
achieve total elimination of nuclear weapons. Total nuclear
disarmament is not easy to achieve, however, small steps have been
taken through various mechanisms:
a. Regional efforts such as Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaties
b. Bilateral treaties such as START between the United States and
Russia
These efforts have been highly successful in disarming and
preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons worldwide.
However, international and more comprehensive strategies are also
extremely important. Since nuclear weapons are a huge threat to
the international peace and security, it only makes sense that the
solution must come from the involvement of every country in the
world.
Now I am death, destroyer of
worlds

2. The Manhattan Project
Background Information
By 1939 both German and American physicists were working on practical applications for nuclear fission, specifically
a bomb. After scientist Albert Einstein warned President Roosevelt that the Germans were in the process of
building an atomic bomb, Roosevelt gave approval for the top secret Manhattan Project. Hundreds of male and
female scientists and technicians were gathered together under the direction of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical
physicist.
Where did the scientists test their work (Manhattan Project)?
Although much of the early work was conducted in New York City, the actual testing site was in New Mexico. On
July 16, 1945, three years after the project started, the first test explosion of an atomic bomb took place in New
Mexico’s Alamogordo Bombing Range. Its awesome force shook the desert floor, and its blinding light illuminated trees
and mountains. A mushroom cloud of dust raised high into the sky. The five kilograms of plutonium in the bomb yielded
an explosion equivalent to 18,500 tons of dynamite, more than enough to destroy an entire city.
What happened as a result of the Manhattan Project?
On August 6, 1945, the U.S. Army dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Over 200,000 people
were killed in the blast. After a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later, Japan surrendered. Although
the true effects of the bomb would not be fully realized for many years, a new Atomic Age had begun.
The scientists knew their work will result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Why did they not stop
their work?
The scientists who participated in the Manhattan Project knew that what they were working on could kill thousands of people
in a single blast, yet they hoped that it would lead to worldwide peace.

3. Test your Knowledge after Reading
a. Name 2 scientists who worked on the Manhattan
Project.
b. Which American president approved the creation of
the Manhattan Project?
c. In which year was the Manhattan Project started?
d. Where did they test the first atomic bomb?
e. When did they test the first atomic bomb?
f. On which 2 Japaneses cities did the U.S. army drop
atomic bombs and when?
g. Which words tell us that the Manhattan Project was
kept a secret from everyone?

4. Test your Comprehension after
Reading
a. Why was the Manhattan Project created?
b. What happened after the U.S. dropped
atomic bombs on Japanese cities?
c. What is the Atomic Age?

5. After World War II and the atomic
bombings in Japan
The international community was worried
Why?
Many civilians were killed in the war.
The atomic bomb is a very powerful weapon that could destroy entire cities.
What did they want never to happen again?
They did not want another world war.
They did not want any country to ever attack another country with nuclear weapons.
So, what did they do?
The United Nations (UN) was created as an international effort
- to monitor which countries are making nuclear weapons and to stop them
- to stop countries from buying and using nuclear weapons
Were they successful?
No.

6. Failure: The Cold War (see BrainPop
movie)

7. Infer: What does this cartoon tell you about the arms race and how people felt
about nuclear weapons?

8. Failure: The Arms Race
In 1947 the United States, which at that time had the only nuclear weapons, proposed a plan to the
United Nations whereby all nuclear weapons would be banned, and until an inspecting body had
been set up, they could retain their arsenal.
When the issue came up for voting, Russia exercised its veto power within the UN, as Joseph Stalin
was aware how close his scientists were to creating a workable weapon.
By 1949 the Russians had managed to create their first nuclear explosion; much sooner than the
Americans had anticipated.
The Americans’ reaction (because of shock and surprise) made Russia fear that the Americans might
start a preventative war before Russia could build up any sort of arsenal, so they redoubled their
productivity.
Other countries such as the United Kingdom and France started developing nuclear capabilities as
well until they eventually acquired actual nuclear bombs.
China and Israel soon also developed nuclear weapons.
India began testing nuclear weapons in 1974, which led to Pakistan (its neighbor) doing the same.

9. Failure: The Cuban Missile Crisis

10. What are possible solutions to the
proliferation of nuclear weapons?
a. Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty of 1970
b. Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty
of ?
c. Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
d. Guidelines set out by a country’s
government
e. Bilateral negotiations

11. Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
(NPT)
In 1970 The Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty (NPT) came
into force signed by the then
three nuclear powers, and
ratified by 40 other nations.
Since that date many other states
have accepted the treaty by
accession, and now a total of 189
countries have agreed to abide by
its rules.
Date NPT first effective (including USSR, YU, CS of that
time)
1st decade: ratified or acceded 1968–1977
2nd decade: ratified or acceded 1978–1987
3rd decade: ratified or acceded 1988–1998 (and Cuba
2002)
Never signed (India, Israel, Pakistan, South Sudan)
(This was published in 2010: Is the
data correct - is it still 189
countries? Or has it changed?)

12. Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
contd.
The basic structure of the NPT considers two different groups of countries with
different sets of obligations.
GROUP 1
- the nuclear-weapon states
GROUP 2
- China, Russia, the UK, USA and France
- non-nuclear-weapon states
AGREEMENT
commit themselves not to transfer nuclear weapons
to non-nuclear-weapon states or help them
develop nuclear weapons
CONSIDER: The NPT recognizes the peaceful uses of nuclear
energy and creates a system allowing for cooperation among
countries
to develop nuclear technology and makes sure that these
technologies
are not used to create weapons. This system, known as the
safeguards system, calls upon the International Atomic Energy
Agency
to help monitor the nuclear programs of countries in order to
make sure that they comply with international standards.
AGREEMENT
commit not to develop nuclear weapons under any
circumstances
CONSIDER: the NPT has not been very successful.
Examples of this are India, Pakistan and North Korea (nonnuclear-weapon States) still developed nuclear programs
and have successfully acquired nuclear weapons today.
Two other countries that have not signed the treaty are Israel
and
South Sudan.

13. Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty
(CTBT)
*aims at forbidding countries from practicing nuclear weapon test explosions or
any other nuclear explosions.
* Unfortunately, the CTBT has not yet entered into force
WHY NOT?
There are several countries that MUST sign and ratify it before it can be
considered binding. Without the cooperation of the countries that have not
ratified
the treaty, it will remain a useless document.

14. Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zones (NWFZ)
* created by regional treaties in which, in almost every case, groups of neighboring countries commit
themselves to not develop or possess nuclear weapons in a given part of the world
E.g.
a. The 1967 treaty of Tlatelolco (region: Latin America and the Caribbean)
b. The treaty of Rarotonga (region: the South Pacific)
c. The treaty of Bangkok (region: Southeast Asia)
d. The treaty of Pelindaba (region: Africa)
e. The treaty of Semipalatinsk (region: Central Asia)
f. Mongolia declared itself a Nuclear-Weapon-Free State in 1992
g. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, for example, has been advocating for the creation of a
NWFZ in the Middle East.
* three other treaties exist in which the entire international community has agreed to not develop or
store nuclear weapons in certain places: the Sea-Bed and Ocean Floor, the uninhabited continent of
Antarctica, and Outer Space.
* Identifying potential NWFZs and negotiating their establishment could eventually lead to a world free of
nuclear weapons.

15. Three non-nuclear principles
A set of guidelines officially adopted by the
Japanese government in 1971.
The guidelines state that Japan shall
- not possess (own) nuclear weapons
- not manufacture (make) nuclear weapons
- not permit nuclear weapons in Japanese
territory

16. Bilateral negotiations
● On April 8, 2010, the United States and Russia gave an example of this when
they signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
•
•
Both countries, who together account for more than half of the existing nuclear
weapons worldwide, have committed to reducing their nuclear arsenals by
half
as well as creating new inspection and reporting mechanisms.
This treaty provided the world with renewed hope that total nuclear disarmament
could be a reality.

17. Recommendations from the Disarmament
and International Security Committee
• Urges all states that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the earliest opportunity, with a view to its early entry
into force and universalization.
• Calls upon nuclear-weapon states to undertake further efforts to reduce and
ultimately eliminate all types of nuclear weapons, deployed and nondeployed, including through unilateral, bilateral, regional and multilateral
measures.
• Encourages the establishment of further nuclear-weapon-free zones, where
appropriate, on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among States of the
region concerned.
• Calls on all states not parties to the NPT to accede as non-nuclear weapon
states to the Treaty promptly and without any conditions.

18. RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR
GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
COUNTRY RESEARCH
1. Is the proliferation of nuclear weapons a problem in your country/ neighboring
countries/ continent? Make a YES/NO table.
2.Is your country contributing to the problem or resolving the problem?
2.1. Which one? + Explanation (how does it affect your country?)
2.2. What type of government does your country have? Does this contribute to the
problem or does it help the country to address the problem?
2.3. What are the major religious groups in your country/region? Do these contribute to
the problem, prevent the country from trying to resolve the problem or not affect the
country’s efforts to resolve the problem at all?
2.4. How is this problem/has this problem of proliferation of nuclear weapons affected
neighboring countries/continent/world?
3. Timeline
3.1. When did the issue of nuclear weapons and its proliferation begin globally?
3.2. When did your country become involved with the issue of nuclear weapons?
4. Stakeholders
4.1. Who and what are the stakeholders of this issue?

19. RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR
GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
Research Country’s Stance (for/against)
1. What is your country’s stance on the issue of elimination of nuclear weapons?
2. Why
is
your
country
concerned
about
this
issue?
3. What are the positions of the various stakeholders on this issue? Who supports your
country’s stance? Who does not support your country’s stance?
4.What strategies/solutions have been attempted?
a. What have worked? Why?
b. What have not worked? Why?
c. What could be improved? Why?
d. What new need to be introduced? Why?
5.If this issue is not a problem in your country, then how can it be involved in its region/
globally?
a. Why and why not?
7.What and how can your member state be involved in the prevention and occurrences of
the issue? What
‘big
ideas’
about
the
issue
will
the
country
support?
8.
How
does
your
country’s
stance
relate
to
the
Fundamental
Principles?
Which
fundamental
principle
could
be/is
violated
by
this
issue?

20. RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR
GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
BUILDING DIPLOMACY/NEGOTIATING AGREEMENTS/THINKING
CRITICALLY
1. Does
your
country
work
with
other
organizaDons
to
address
the
issue?
Make
a
list
of
the
organizaDons.
2.
With
whom
(other
member
states)
will
your
country
cooperate
on
resolving
the
issue?
Why?
3.
What
agreements
will
your
country
accede
to
in
support
of
other
countries?
4.
What
agreements
will
your
country
not
accede
to
in
support
of
allies?
5.
If
your
country
has
veto
power,
what
resoluDons
are
likely
to
be
vetoed
by
your
country?

21. WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION
A. MSMC online databases
B. MSMC books & magazines (TIME)
C. APPROVED WEBSITES
1.http://www.un.org/disarmament/
2.http://www.un.org/en/conf/npt/2010/
3.http://www.iaea.org/
4.http://www.globalzero.org/en
5.http://www.armscontrol.org/
6. http://www.nato.int/