You already know that the United States and Russia have nuclear weapons. In total, nine countries have an estimated 16,000 warheads. Still, the U.S. and Russia own about 90 percent of the total.
RELATED: Why Russia Replicated the Most Powerful Nuclear Bomb Ever
RELATED: Why Russia Replicated the Most Powerful Nuclear Bomb Ever
The seven other countries with nuclear weapons are: France with 300, Israel with 80, Pakistan with 110, India with 100, China with 250, and North Korea with 10. The United States is the only country that has used these weapons in warfare. America dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. Four years later, the Soviet Union tested its first nuclear explosion. By 1962, the United Kingdom, France, and China had all tested all well.
Taken at face value, nuclear disarmament is appealing. These are incredibly dangerous weapons and it's difficult to justify using that level of force on other people. However, assurance that everyone would disarm may be impossible and few nations would be willing to give up their own warheads without that guarantee. It's also important to remember, one of the most brilliant minds ever known supported the advancement of nuclear technology during World War II. Although he came to regret his actions, Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, suggesting we research atomic weapons before the Germans figured out how to use them.
Read more about the history of nuclear weapons:
American Museum of Natural History: The Manhattan Project
Arms Control Association: Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What at a Glance