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Nuclear Weapon Facts
Countries With Nuclear Weapons in 2006:
Russia (CIS) – about 5,830 strategic warheads
United States – about 5,735 strategic warheads
France – about 350 strategic warheads
United Kingdom – about 200 strategic warheads
China – about 130 strategic warheads
India – about 75-115 warheads
Pakistan – about 65-90 strategic warheads
Countries Suspected of Having Nuclear Weapons in 2006:
Israel
North Korea
Saudi Arabia
Iran (In Development)
Many countries have the technical capacity to develop nuclear weapons, but have chosen not to do so. Examples include Sweden, Norway, Japan, Brazil and Argentina. South Africa developed nuclear weapons and then dismantled them.
All but four countries in the world have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, in which they promise not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons. The four countries that have not signed this treaty are India, Israel, and Pakistan. North Korea signed it, but withdrew in 2003.
Miscellaneous Facts
$3,500,000,000,000 – amount the U.S. spent 1940-1995 on nuclear war preparations
$27,000,000,000 – amount the U.S. spends annually on nuclear war preparations
$2,200,000,000 – cost of one B-2 bomber (the U.S. has more than 20 of them)
At the peak of the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union each possessed about 25,000 strategic warheads. Most have since been decommissioned, but the plutonium remains.
American Involvement in World War II
Event/Battle
Date
Location
Significance
Germany invades Poland
September 1, 1939
Polish-German border
Following non-aggression treaty with Soviet Union, German troops invade Poland. England and France declare war on Germany. Soviets invade Poland from East.
Germany's blitzkrieg takes western Europe
March-June 1940
Western Europe
Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France crushed by German offensive
Battle of Britain
Fall 1940
Great Britain
German bombers ruin British cities in attempt to obtain British surrender before U.S. entry. Britain's breaking of German code ("Ultra") helps overcome air attacks.
U.S. enacts draft bill
September 1940
Washington D.C.
Registration of all men between 21 and 35. Limit of 900,000 men in time of peace.
Destroyer for Bases deal
September 1940
Washington D.C. and London
U.S. transfers 50 old destroyers to Britain in exchange for use of eight British Atlantic bases.
Lend-Lease plan
November 1940
Washington D.C.
U.S. would "lend" military equipment to cash-strapped Britain.
Germany invades Russia
June 1941
Polish-Russian border
Germany begins two-front war with invasion of Russia. Germans halt 15 miles from Moscow in December 1941.
Atlantic Charter
August 1941
North Atlantic
FDR and Churchill agree to war aims, self-determination, and condemnation of Nazism.
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941
Hawaii
361 Japanese warplanes attack American airfields and shipyards, disabling 19 ships, destroying 200 planes, and killing over 2300 men. Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Malaya, Philippines soon fall to Japan.
FDR asks for war on Japan
December 8, 1941
WashingtonD.C.
Congress approves entry into war. Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.
Battle of Coral Sea
May 1942
South Pacific
Carrier-based U.S. planes halt Japanese advance on Australia.
Midway
June 1942
Central Pacific
Threat on Hawaii ended as four Japanese aircraft carriers are sunk.
Allies attack Germans in North Africa
November 1942
North Africa
Huge Allied landing forces Germany to retreat to Tunisia, where they are surrounded by British and American forces.
Guadalcanal
February 1943
Solomon Islands, South Pacific
Americans take first island in start of island-hopping strategy.
Event/Battle
Date
Location
Significance
Germans surrender at Stalingrad
February 1943
Central Russia
Germans surrender after fierce hand-to-hand fighting and huge casualties for each side.
Germans surrender at Tunisia
May 1743
Tunisia, North Africa
Over 250,000 German and Italian troops are captured and Allies prepare to invade Sicily and Italy.
Allies invade Sicily
July 1943
Sicily
In largest amphibious invasion in history, over 250,000 American and British troops land. Germans and Italians escape to mainland of Italy.
Italy surrenders
September 1943
Italy
Although Italian troops quit fighting Allies, Germans continue in fierce fighting. Rome finally surrenders on June 4, 1944.
D-Day Invasion
June 6, 1944
Normandy coast of France
Allies use 4600 ships to invade German-held France. Suffering heavy casualties, the Allies were able to retake Paris in August.
Battle of Leyte Gulf
October 1944
Pacific east of Philippines
60 Japanese ships in largest naval battle in history.
Battle of the Bulge
December 1944
French-German-Belgian border
German counteroffensive almost succeeds in retaking Belgium but is crushed with Allied reinforcements.
Tokyo Bombing Raids
March 1945
Tokyo, Japan
American bombers destroy 250,000 buildings and kill 83,000 in massive fire-bombing.
Russians take Berlin
April 1945
Berlin, Germany
Russians take German capital after house-to-house fighting. Hitler commits suicide.
German surrender
May 7, 1945
V-E day May 8th
Europe
German government issues unconditional surrender to Allied forces.
Okinawa
April to June 1945
Southern tip of Japan
Fighting from caves and bunkers, Japanese inflict 80,000 losses on Americans. Over 30 American ships are sunk by Japanese suicide missions.
Gen. MacArthur retakes Philippines
July 1945
Philippine Islands
After Manila's fall to Americans in May, Japanese surrender here after inflicting 60,000 American casualties.
Hiroshima
August 6, 1945
Japan
180,000 killed, wounded, or missing after atomic bomb is dropped. Two days later Soviet Union enters war against Japan.
Nagasaki
August 9, 1945
Japan
Second bomb is dropped after Japanese delay surrender. 80,000 killed or missing.
Japan surrenders
Aug.14,1945
V-J Day Aug. 15th
Official surrender Sept. 2nd
Tokyo Bay
Japan surrenders with one term: the emperor must retain his throne.