In 1968 the United Nations set up the “Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty” to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
The treaty came into effect on the 5th of March 1970 and called for all nations that signed to only use nuclear power for peaceful means such as the production of power (excluding the 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)). 190 countries have signed the treaty but in 2003 North Korea withdrew its participation. India, Pakistan and North Korea are the only countries to have openly tested their nuclear weapons rejecting the Treaty.
The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China are the only permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) which is a branch of the United Nations and was founded with the UN in 1946. After World War II these nations were considered the main victors and they maintained the most powerful military forces in the world.
The first nation to create and test a nuclear bomb was the United States in July 1945 with a 20kt device named “Trinity” followed by Russia with “RDS-1” in Aug/Sep 1949. The United Kingdom tested their first nuclear bomb on the 3rd of August 1952 with “Hurricane” a 25 kiloton device tested off Western Australia. On the 13th of February 1960 France tested their 70kt “Gerboise bleue" becoming the fourth and on the 16th of October 1964 China became the fifth with their 22 kiloton device.
Shortly after the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty was created with 190 countries having signed the treaty but in 2003 North Korea withdrew its participation. India, Pakistan and North Korea are the only countries to have openly tested their nuclear weapons rejecting the Treaty.
Israel is widely believed that Israel has nuclear weapons but they have never officially admitted anything. Evidence from a former nuclear technician was leaked by Mordechai Vanunu in 1986 when he fled to Britain. He was lured to Italy soon after and abducted by Israeli forces. He was imprisoned for 18 years (11 of which were in solitary confinement) and released in 2004.
