From the very beginning, the development and use of nuclear technology raised new, difficult issues for scientists and policy makers. Many people close to the Manhattan Project were concerned with the fate of nuclear technology both during and beyond World War II. The successful "Trinity" test explosion in July 1945 caused physicists and presidential advisors alike to appeal to the president for restraint in using the bomb. They explained that U.S. interests would be well served by disclosure of our atomic potential and an effort to reach an international agreement on the new technology. Nevertheless, two atomic bombs were dropped on Japanese cities in 1945, demonstrating to the world the power of these weapons and opening the nuclear age.

Since the onset of this new age, nuclear technology has remained high on the world's agenda as questions regarding sovereignty and the balance of power, control of the development and spread of nuclear weapons, non-military uses for nuclear technology (e.g., energy, medicine), and nuclear safety are debated among and within nations. The "club" of nuclear nations has grown dramatically and the number of nuclear weapons alone has grown from zero to over 60,000 in just over 50 years. Nuclear technology advocates argue that nuclear power plants provide badly needed energy and prevent the devastation of nonrenewable resources. Nuclear opponents believe that nuclear accidents and contamination such as that resulting from the Chernobyl disaster are inevitable and make nuclear energy an undesirable energy option. Arguments on moral as well as political grounds swirl around the issue of the development, maintenance, and use of nuclear weapons.

At the heart of many of the debates lies the fundamental question, "Who should control nuclear technology?" French testing of atomic weapons in the Pacific in 1995 and 1996, the potential development of nuclear weapons by Iraq, and the effects of the dissolution of the Soviet Union on internal safety controls remind us that this question has no simple answer. Some advocate that the use and development of nuclear technology by them alone or a select few is essential to international security, while others believe nuclear weapons are such a profound threat to the planet that no one should have access to them or the technology that makes them possible.

Who Should Control Nuclear Technology? looks at some of the questions about the development and use of nuclear technology through six main activities. Each activity allows students to explore a case study that looks at possible scenarios for the control of nuclear technology. Students grapple with some of the challenges that policy makers often face with respect to nuclear technology. Through the orientation activity and the six focused activities, students will develop an elementary understanding of nuclear technology and the issues it raises for the world. The resources for this unit were chosen because they illustrate significant points and provide an array of perspectives on the topic. We encourage teachers to add current examples and additional perspectives when possible to ensure even-handed treatment of this complex set of issues.

Who Should Control Nuclear Technology? offers an introduction to a complex and sometimes contentious subject. It does not attempt to provide illustrations of all elements related to the development and use of nuclear technology nor does it attempt to explore all the relevant questions. The cases do offer students an opportunity to consider a wide range of problems. In each activity, students will explore the pros and cons of different scenarios for the control and management of nuclear weapons and technology, while they learn about the challenges of policy making.

Unit Goals

• to review the history of the development and spread of nuclear technology
• to familiarize students with significant treaties and agreements regarding nuclear technology, including the NPT
• to consider options for controlling nuclear technology
• to make connections between the students' own experiences with nuclear issues and the presentations in the unit