Nuclear Power

From the selection of radical cartography maps, the one that appealed most interesting to me was the map depicting nuclear explosions around the world. I was particularly interested in this map because I'm fascinated with history and worldwide military events that have occurred in the past. This map really depicts who the world powers have been since 1945 and shows how nuclear technology has shaped the world. Two significant worldwide events where nuclear technology played a part in were World War II and the Cold War.

World War II played a huge role in dividing world power to what it is today. Toward the end of the war, the Nazi regime had ended, but the Pacific campaign to defeat the Japanese seemed to be an ongoing problem. In order to save lives, the United States produced two atom bombs to be dropped on Japan. No only did this end the war, but it saved countless Japanese and American lives. Below is a diagram representing the damage caused by the bomb dropped in Hiroshima, Japan...

The Cold War showed how possessing nuclear weapons gave power to countries over others that didn’t possess this technology. The two major countries involved in the Cold War were the United States and Soviet Union. They constantly competed against each other in numerous ways in order to become the world’s super power. One of these ways of competing was to produce more nuclear weapons than the other. Obtaining more nuclear weapons meant more power over the other. This race to be most powerful in the world has solidified both countries power for the future.

Both of these significant worldwide events involving nuclear technology show how important it is in society today. A good example of a country trying to possess nuclear energy today is Iran. Iran is trying to seek more power through nuclear technology and the United States, for example, does not want them to achieve this.