Not everyone living in Pompeii perished under the fire of Mount Vesuvius
Throughout modern history, weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) have been a shadow that has loomed large over civilization. Between nuclear, chemical, and biological armaments, countries have long sought to use these terrible inventions in the pursuit of power, as a deterrence, or even simply for survival. Some nations have successfully deployed their own WMDs during times of warfare, while others have been known to never release them at all.
Which countries have developed weapons of mass destruction in the past? Which ones own them at this very moment? And which nations have attempted to pursue them but were unsuccessful? Click through this gallery to find out.
Throughout modern history, weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) have been a shadow that has loomed large over civilization. Between nuclear, chemical, and biological armaments, countries have long sought to use these terrible inventions in the pursuit of power, as a deterrence, or even simply for survival. Some nations have successfully deployed their own WMDs during times of warfare, while others have been known to never release them at all.
Which countries have developed weapons of mass destruction in the past? Which ones own them at this very moment? And which nations have attempted to pursue them but were unsuccessful? Click through this gallery to find out.
Weapons of mass destruction are divided into three primary groups: nuclear, chemical, and biological weaponry, all of which are capable of causing indiscriminate harm on a massive scale.
WMDs can result in significant civilian casualties, destruction to infrastructure, and long-term environmental damage. Their potential for catastrophic harm has made them central to global security concerns, spurring international efforts to regulate or eliminate their use.
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is a landmark international agreement aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and technology. It was entered into force in 1970, and promotes disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Countries that possess nuclear arsenals but have signed the NPT are required to eventually disarm any such programs.
Under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, there are five countries that have been recognized as possessing nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom. These states are allowed to retain their nuclear arsenals while working towards disarmament.
The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an international treaty that outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. Entered into force in 1997, signatory nations must destroy their chemical weapon stockpiles and adhere to strict measures to ensure that such weaponry is not proliferated or used in warfare.
The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) prohibits the development, production, and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons. Adopted in 1972, the BWC represents a significant step towards controlling biological threats in warfare and preventing the deliberate spread of disease.
Throughout history, about 40 countries in the world have either developed, possessed, or attempted to create weapons of mass destruction, and some of them still continue to own armaments to this day. Let’s take a look at which nations they are.
Albania once had a stockpile of chemical weapons (primarily mustard gas) which it declared in 2003. Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the nation destroyed its entire arsenal within a decade and, as of today, there are no known nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons programs within the country’s borders.
Algeria is believed to have explored nuclear capabilities during the 1980s with the assistance of China. However, the country is now a signatory to the NPT and the CWC and, as such, operates only peaceful nuclear research with no known WMD stockpiles.
During its military dictatorship in the early 1980s, Argentina initiated a nuclear weapons program but later abandoned it under democratic rule in 1983. It signed the NPT in 1995 and has since focused on civilian nuclear technology. Aside from nuclear armaments, Argentina has never been known to possess chemical or biological weapons.
Australia has never developed nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons within its borders, although it did conduct significant weapons research in the past. The country also stockpiled chemical weapons during World War II that were sourced from the US and Britain, although they were thoroughly disposed of afterward. The country now possesses no WMDs.
In the 1970s and '80s, Brazil pursued a secret nuclear weapons program during its military dictatorship, but the program was dismantled in the 1990s under civilian leadership. Although the country has some key technologies that are used in producing nuclear weapons, it does not have any within its borders. The same can be said for biological and chemical armaments.
The Balkan nation of Bulgaria once had a significant chemical weapons program and plant, although much of the information surrounding it is scarce to obtain. Since 2016, the country has not possessed any WMDs, and the only known chemical weapons production facility now produces chemicals for civilian purposes.
Canada played a major role during both World Wars as a producer and developer of various WMDs, including chemical, biological, and nuclear armaments. The country has had a tumultuous history with chemical weaponry most of all, having exposed various soldiers to chemical agents that resulted in permanent injury, including mustard gas.
The nation once had a biological warfare research program in the mid-20th century, although this has since been dismantled. Canada also provided uranium ore for the construction of the atom bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. As of today, the country possesses no known weapons of mass destruction.
China is one of only eight countries in the world to currently possess nuclear weaponry. The nation tested its first nuclear weapon in 1964 and developed both nuclear and chemical weapons programs since then. Experts estimate that China has approximately 500 nuclear warheads in its possession.
China’s biological weapons program was reportedly active during the 1980s, but the country is a signatory of the Biological Weapons Convention. However, many governments around the world believe that the nation still operates its program covertly.
Egypt pursued nuclear and chemical weapons during the 1960s and '70s, and used phosgene and mustard gas in the North Yemeni Civil War. While it signed the Biological Weapons Convention in 1972, Egypt has refused to sign the CWC or NPT, which makes its weapons capabilities uncertain. Egypt is suspected of maintaining some stockpiles of chemical weaponry.
France developed nuclear weapons in the 1960s and is the only country in the European Union to still maintain an independent nuclear deterrent. During the Second World War, the country used nonlethal tear gas as a chemical weapon, although France now possesses no biological or chemical armaments.
While Germany has the resources and the technical capacity to produce weapons of mass destruction, the country has refrained from doing so since the end of World War II. The first-ever nerve gas was produced by a German researcher in 1937, which was stockpiled during the war (although never used).
While India doesn’t have any biological or chemical weapons, the country is one of the eight nations to posses nuclear weaponry. Its nuclear program started as early as the 1940s, during which time they tested the world’s fifth atomic bomb. And although it has a declared policy of "no first use" for nuclear weapons, the nation has not signed the NPT.
Iran does not currently possess any known weapons of mass destruction, although many governments suspect that the country is developing nuclear technology within its borders, despite having signed the NPT. Iran is also a signatory of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention.
Iraq developed extensive chemical and biological weapons under Saddam Hussein and used them in the 1980s. Its WMD programs were dismantled after the Gulf War and further during the 2003 US-led invasion. Iraq is now a signatory to major WMD non-proliferation treaties and does not possess any known armaments.
Israel is one of the only countries in the world that maintains a policy of ambiguity when it comes to its possession of weapons. As such, it is widely believed that the country possesses nuclear, biological, and chemical weaponry, although it has never actually confirmed or denied this.
Italy hosted US nuclear weapons during the Cold War as part of NATO's nuclear sharing arrangement, but does not have its own nuclear arsenal. In the late 1960s and early '70s, the country attempted to develop its own nuclear weapons, but was ultimately banned from doing so due to its role during the Second World War. The country continues to host nuclear armaments from other nations.
Despite Japan’s capability in producing nuclear weaponry, the country has adamantly opposed their development, particularly after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The country formerly possessed chemical and biological armaments, but has taken a firm stance against their creation since the end of WWII.
Kazakhstan inherited a large stockpile of nuclear weapons after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, becoming the fourth-largest nuclear power in the world. However, the country voluntarily gave them up and joined the NPT. Kazakhstan has no known biological or chemical weapons programs.
After Muammar Gaddafi took control of Libya in 1969, the country actively pursued nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs. In 2003, Libya renounced WMDs and dismantled all its programs under international supervision. It also joined the CWC and destroyed its chemical weapons stockpiles.
Mexico does not possess any WMDs, although it does have the capacity to manufacture a nuclear arsenal. However, the country has renounced such weaponry, and was instrumental in establishing Latin America as a nuclear-weapon-free zone through the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
Myanmar has been suspected of pursuing chemical and nuclear weapons in the past, but little evidence supports these claims. Myanmar signed the Biological Weapons Convention but has not ratified the CWC.
The Netherlands does not possess WMDs but hosts US nuclear weapons as part of NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangement. The country also produces the components needed to create chemical weapons, which have been provided to the US, Israel, and Pakistan in the past.
North Korea has a significant stockpile of chemical and biological weaponry, along with approximately 50 nuclear armaments. It is one of the only countries in the world to thoroughly possess all three types of WMDs, and many sanctions have been placed against the country due to this.
Pakistan developed nuclear weapons in response to India's nuclear program, ultimately conducting its first nuclear test in 1998. It is not a signatory to the NPT and has a robust nuclear arsenal. Pakistan has rejected the use of biological or chemical weapons.
The Philippines has never owned weapons of mass destruction, although the country did initiate its own nuclear program in 1958 that ended without success. The nation has been known to advocate for a nuclear-weapon-free Southeast Asia.
Poland was used by the Soviet Union to stockpile nuclear warheads during the Cold War, but dismantled them after joining the CWC. The country does not have any armaments within its borders.
During its existence, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) used many chemical and biological agents. The country also faced allegations of using chemical weaponry against insurgents. Zimbabwe is now a signatory to the NPT and CWC and does not own any WMDs.
Romania had a modest chemical weapons program, which started in the 1960s during the Cold War but was dismantled after the country joined the CWC in the '90s. It does not have nuclear weapons and is a signatory to the NPT, focusing on peaceful nuclear energy development.
Aside from North Korea, Russia is the only other nation in the world to possess a full range of WMDs, including chemical, biological, and nuclear weaponry. Most of these were inherited after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the country now has the largest number of nuclear weapons in the world.
The Soviet Union covertly operated some of the planet’s largest and most sophisticated biological weapons programs, which began in the 1920s. The Russian Federation still owns chemical and biological weaponry, despite having signed the applicable treaties banning them.
Saudi Arabia has explored acquiring nuclear weapons, particularly in response to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but has not actually developed them. It is a signatory to the NPT and CWC but is suspected of seeking nuclear weapons through potential future cooperation with Pakistan.
From the 1960s onwards, South Africa developed multiple weapons programs for nuclear, biological, and chemical armaments, but voluntarily dismantled them in the early '90s under Nelson Mandela, becoming the first country to do so. It joined the NPT and CWC, advocating for non-proliferation and disarmament.
South Korea has never developed WMDs but was suspected of pursuing a nuclear weapons program in the 1970s. It relies on the US nuclear umbrella for security and is a signatory to the NPT and CWC, committed to non-proliferation.
Spain does not possess WMDs, but the nation did attempt to create its own nuclear program in the 1960s, known as Project Islero. As of today, Spain participates in NATO's nuclear sharing arrangement but does not have its own arsenal.
Between the 1940s and '50s, Sweden explored developing nuclear and chemical weapons but abandoned these plans in favor of non-proliferation. The country developed mustard gas, but this was discontinued in the 1970s.
Switzerland started developing nuclear weapons during the Cold War following the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but chose not to pursue them. The country has never had a vested interest in biological armaments, but a secret program was commissioned in 1937 to develop chemical weaponry. This has since been dismantled.
Syria developed chemical weapons in the 1970s and used them in the civil war. It joined the CWC in 2013 and agreed to dismantle its chemical weapons under international pressure, although there are concerns about whether Syria fully complied with its obligations. The country has also been suspected of owning nuclear armaments, although this hasn’t been confirmed.
Taiwan explored nuclear weapons development in the 1960s but abandoned the program under US pressure in the late '80s. Taiwan adheres to the NPT and focuses on peaceful nuclear energy, although it remains vulnerable to potential threats from China.
Ukraine inherited nuclear weapons after the Soviet Union’s collapse, but gave them up in 1994 under the Budapest Memorandum. It is currently a signatory to the NPT and CWC, supporting non-proliferation and global disarmament.
The UK has had a varied history of possessing various nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. It was the third country to develop and test nuclear weapons in the 1950s, and still maintains an independent nuclear deterrent.
The UK was known to use chemical weapons against Germany during the First World War. These weapons included chlorine, phosgene, and mustard gas. The nation doesn’t own any known chemical weapons anymore, and neither does the country possess any biological weaponry.
The United States is known to have possessed all three types of WMDs throughout its history. Not only did the US invent nuclear weaponry, but it is also the only nation in the world to use such weapons against another country, which was done when atomic bombs were detonated over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Throughout history, the US has released multiple biological weapons on civilian populations in order to study their effects. The country continues to develop biological weapons for the sake of defense rather than offense.
The US has also historically developed chemical weapons as early as 1917. Before its chemical weapons program ended in 1990, the nation deployed their armaments in World War I. The US has since denounced using chemical armaments in warfare and has disposed of their stockpiles.
Sources: (Federation of American Scientists) (Arms Control Association) (Britannica) (Statista)
See also: A Third World War is imminent, according to the predictions of Our Lady of Fatima
Nations with weapons of mass destruction
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LIFESTYLE War
Throughout modern history, weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) have been a shadow that has loomed large over civilization. Between nuclear, chemical, and biological armaments, countries have long sought to use these terrible inventions in the pursuit of power, as a deterrence, or even simply for survival. Some nations have successfully deployed their own WMDs during times of warfare, while others have been known to never release them at all.
Which countries have developed weapons of mass destruction in the past? Which ones own them at this very moment? And which nations have attempted to pursue them but were unsuccessful? Click through this gallery to find out.