Why did the United States and its allies develop nuclear weapons
The United States and its allies developed nuclear weapons primarily as a deterrent against potential adversaries and to establish military superiority. During World War II, the United States became the first country to successfully develop and use nuclear weapons, with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945 leading to the end of the war.
After the war, the escalating tensions of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union led to a nuclear arms race, with both countries and their respective allies developing and stockpiling nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence against each other. The development of nuclear weapons provided a way for these countries to project military strength and influence on the global stage.
Additionally, nuclear weapons were seen as a way to prevent large-scale conflicts and wars by creating a balance of power between nuclear-armed states. The doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) emerged, whereby the use of nuclear weapons by one country would result in the total destruction of both countries, thus discouraging either side from launching a nuclear attack.
Overall, the development of nuclear weapons by the United States and its allies was driven by strategic considerations, political motivations, and the desire to maintain military supremacy in a volatile and uncertain world.