ABSTRACT
Bans or limitations on nuclear weapon tests are one of many types of arms control measures that have been attempted over the years. The first nuclear test agreement, the test moratorium, was made in 1958 and lasted until the Soviet Union unilaterally resumed testing in the atmosphere in 1961. It was followed by the Limited Test Ban Treaty of 1963, which prohibited nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in outer space, and underwater. Both the United States and the Soviet Union claim that the Threshold Treaty’s provisions govern their nuclear testing. Nuclear tests and test bans are in fact important, integral parts of the nation’s security and arms control posture. Some proponents of nuclear testing constraints believe that a complete test ban can be the key to a process that would eventually bring greater worldwide security and reduce the risks of nuclear war. Maintenance of the nuclear stockpile depends on regularly scheduled random sampling.
