The most famous arms race occurred after World War II between Soviet Union and the United States which was known as the Cold War but arms races date back even father than that. Ever sense man has set eyes on conquering and defending lands they have sought to have better more effective arms than their rival countries. One example of an arms race besides the well known Cold War was between the British and the Germany in the late 18th early 19th century when they were racing to build large battleships called dreadnaughts.
The best definition of an arms race that is simplified is when two or more countries are involved in pursuing a certain set of military technologies and doing this with an eye on the other countries capabilities. However, an arms race is just as good as preventing war just as easily it is to provoke them. In a way all that are involved in the nuclear arms race won’t be using them because it would almost be an act of insanity. It would most likely set off a reaction so that all the countries would start blaming each other and then they would launch their ICBMs(intercontinental ballistic missile) at each another.
So what causes an arms race? As the more powerful countries show less commitment to reducing their own arms and continue to pursue their own national interests, they affect many others around the world. This causes the smaller nations to hate the more powerful nations. One option for nations that feel threatened has been to improve their defensive capabilities and increase arms purchases. Neighboring countries will also feel the pressure to keep up, "just in case".With an increase in arms it leads to an arms race and an increase in insecurity. Some say that Bush making a missile defense shield could prod other nations to produce more weapons.
So the question is if we have them why don’t we use them? The main reason is that the dangers with using conventional weapons like ships, aircraft, and tanks appear to be way less than that of using nuclear weapons. The risks with using the ships from WWI or the aircraft and tanks in WWII had risks but they certainly were not at risk of wiping out entire civilizations with the push of a button.
If war were to be taken in terms of a game it would best be summed up by a quote the movie War Games where a boy hacks into a military computer thinking it was a game and almost causes WWIII, “This is a weird game isn’t it Mr. Falkin? It seems as though the only way to win is not to play.”(computer talking to people at the end of the movie)
A new nuclear arms race is gripping the world. Many experts believe the likelihood of such an attack is greater now than it was during the Cold War. At the moment the world's nuclear club is eight strong. There are the original big five of the US, China, Russia, Britain and France and three newcomers of India, Pakistan and Israel. That has now changed. If the rumors coming out of Pyongyang are true, the Stalinist state of North Korea has now become the club's newest member. It is also said that Iran is starting to build the bomb.
Some governments spend more on military expenditure than on social development, communications infrastructure and health combined. In fiscal 2005 (April- June ) the US military budget is going to be 420.7 billion dollars. China is expected to spend a mere 51 billion and that’s the second highest spending budget in the world. Russia is also expected to be the third highest military spender with a budget of 50.8 billion.
The US also has the Triad. The Triad Doctrine resulted from theoretical separation of Flexible Response. The Triad Doctrine distinguishes a strategic triad: Inter-continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), and strategic bombers. The idea of the Triad Doctrine is that each should be able to independently inflict unacceptable damage on the Soviet Union. If two legs were destroyed the third could retaliate. Strategic bombers are vulnerable unless air-borne, but they can be recalled. ICBMs are more secure, but hardened silos couldn't withstand a direct hit by incoming nuclear missiles, and SLBMs were more secure but are not as precise as ICBMs and difficult to communicate with.
For me the arms race is fascinating and exciting but everyone focuses on the nuclear part of it. Most people may say “An arms race creates huge problems and they often end in war.” When in reality these people are totally wrong. An arms race is just as good as preventing war because when other countries spy on each other they could be like “Well America has the M1-A2 Abrams main battle tank so we better wait to make a better one than theirs.” However, seeing as most countries are equal at the moment the new arms race has created a stand still and I think there won’t be a world war any time soon.
Most people I believe are like that and they don’t think outside of the box. It’s always “We’ve made another bomb.” or “That countries thinking about making the bomb.” “When are the terrorists going to get the bomb?” Well to them I say let them make the bomb, the more the merrier. The more people that have them the less likely they will be used because as I have said before it would be an act of insanity not to mention the fact that most of the countries that have them are to scared to use them.
I can’t really see any downside to this new arms race on the conventional weapons stand point. We are developing “smart weapons” such as grenades that blow up at a certain distance to give the most damage to the enemy. We also have the predator drones which are unmanned planes that are mainly used for reconnaissance but they can also be outfitted with hellfire missiles. Hopefully one day we will be able to make an army where there are no soldiers just machines doing the dirty work we just have to make sure they don’t get AFI (artificial intelligence) and start to think for themselves.
From the Trojan Horse to a Star Wars Missile Defense system, human societies have continually pushed for stronger, smarter, more intimidating weapons of war. Nobody knows what the future will bring but it is certain there will be a World War III and the world will provided with an experience the opposite of positive. What I’m saying is that there is no reasonable solution to the new arms race. For the rest of time that humanity or some form of it exists so will weapons. The need to feel protected against those we fear is what keeps the race going.
As long as countries feel insecure with one another they will continue to build new arms and upgrade the old ones. If it were possible to have all the countries trust each other then maybe but it’s human nature not to trust anybody. It’s also impossible to stop the arms business. People will find ways to make weapons and sell them. People at homes can make potato launchers, so what’s stopping them from putting a grenade in it?
If you think about it though, it would be silly to abolish the arms race. With out the arms race during WWII think of all the things that would not be available in today’s world or they would just be behind in their time. Jet engines may not exist and this means no rockets. Without rockets we would have never reached space and the moon.
So to sum it up a treaty here and there might help prevent the possibility of war caused by an arms race but if you think about it there is no way around it and WWIII will come. There has only been seven years throughout recorded time without a war going on some where in the world. So I say build up our arms and race on so when WWIII comes around we will be prepared.
There are many things that could happen in the future if there is another new arms race. The most likely thing to occur is World War III, without a doubt. Since the last World War, we have made an abundance of bombs for the triad.(ICBMs, SLBMs, and bombs) If the use of nuclear bombs in the next World War is present which is a 50/50 chance then the human race is in some serious trouble. For instance, if Russia and the United States, (the two countries with the most nuclear bombs but us having more J ), declare war on each other, both countries could both theoretically annihilate one another killing millions.
With so man countries producing nuclear bombs like India and Pakistan, tensions are high as they each test their products. Our current situation in Iraq was created in part, by fear of “Weapons of Mass Destruction”. North Korea has indicated that they too are creating nuclear weapons. Just one irresponsible act or mistake by a country with nuclear weapons could create a kind of chaos the world has not yet seen.
It would be great if the arms race would go away and countries could trust one another but that’s not going to happen. So without a doubt in my mind the future of the human race is bleak and we can only hope that the arms races holds up as being just as good as preventing war than it is as causing it. So ready? Set? Go! The new arms race is here to stay and the human race is about to loose big time.
Work Cited
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End of the World Flash animation. Cartoon. 1 Mar. 2005
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(note: rated pg-13 to R by me because of bad language but It’s right and funny)
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