Nuclear non-proliferation in the international arena: an assessment of the main solutions from a realist and liberal perspectiveAs defined by Christoph Bluth of the Political Studies Association, the proliferation of nuclear weapons is “widely perceived by political leaders as one of the major global security issues in the contemporary era” (Bluth, 2012). This is evident from the list of concerns and actions taken by governments around the world to address the issue of nuclear weapons. With over 22,000 nuclear weapons in existence today, international law must seek to unite nations to control, limit, and potentially eliminate nuclear weapons (Bluth, 2012). The following essay will examine nuclear nonproliferation in the context of a realist and liberal view of international relations, as well as examine potential solutions to the problem. Before discussing both points of view on the issue, it is important to look at the background of nuclear weapons. . The history of nuclear weapons began with the discovery of radioactive elements: radium, polonium, and uranium (Schlosser, 2014). These in turn led two German scientists, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman, to the discovery of nuclear fission and fusion. During World War II, active German research into the atomic bomb had prompted the United States to secretly build our own atomic bomb. The first atomic bomb was detonated at a site near Alamogordo, New Mexico on July 16, 1945. This successful test led both the United States and Great Britain to believe and agree that the atomic bomb could cause the surrender of the Japanese without an invasion and without help from the Soviets. The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, followed by another on Nagasaki, Japan, on... middle of paper... more. Network. April 20, 2014.Granoff, Principal. "International humanitarian law and nuclear weapons: irreconcilable differences". Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 67.7 (2011): 59-60. Network. April 18, 2014.Gronlund, Lisbeth and Eryn MacDonald. “America, awash in nuclear weapons materials.” Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 70.2 (2014): 53-67. Premier of academic research. Network. April 19, 2014. Lifton, Robert Jay. “The Dimensions of Contemporary War and Violence: How to Reclaim Humanity from an Continuing Revolution in the Technology of Murder.” Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 69.4 (2013): 9-17. Premier of academic research. Network. April 19, 2014.Magnarella, Paul J. “Attempts to Reduce and Eliminate Nuclear Weapons Through the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Creation of Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones.” Peace and Change 33.4 (2008): 21-25. Premier of academic research. Network. April 20. 2014.