At the end of World War II, in order to accelerate Japan's surrender, the Japanese army's combat strength was severely damaged, the losses of the landed American troops were reduced, and Japan was controlled before the Soviet Union. In August 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Subsequently, the two prosperous military industrial towns instantly turned into ruins. At this time, the whole world truly realized the terrible power of nuclear bombs. Since then, nuclear weapons have become the most deterrent weapon.
Today, there are 193 countries in the world, and 9 countries possess nuclear weapons. In addition to China, Britain, France, the United States, and Russia, there are also four illegal nuclear weapons countries: North Korea, India, Israel, and Pakistan.
Speaking of which, someone asked, it is not strange that other countries have nuclear weapons, because they have resources, talents, and help from big countries. How did Pakistan, with its poor economic conditions, few resources, and backward manufacturing industry, create such a high-tech weapon?
Pakistan's development of nuclear weapons began in 1954, around the same time as India. After World War II, India and Pakistan were divided, but Britain left a region that was not clearly divided. That's Kashmir. In order to fight for control of this land, several Indo-Pakistani wars broke out.
Pakistan has always been at a disadvantage in terms of territorial area, population, economic level, and military strength. When it learned that India was going to build an atomic bomb, Pakistan followed suit.
However, due to a lack of funding and technology, their research process was difficult. It's okay to say that you don't have money, just tighten your belt and save money. Without technology, what to do? At that time, during the Cold War, Pakistan was on the side of the Soviet Union, so it sent many talented people to study in the Soviet Union.
It's a pity that the vast majority of people, who have learned high-end technology, have not gone back. Tempted by foreign economies, they became white-eyed wolves and coveted personal pleasures, some stayed in the Soviet Union, and some went to other European countries. For this reason, Pakistan's nuclear weapons road has once again hit a wall.
Subsequently, the Third Indo-Pakistani War in 1971 and India's atomic bomb in 1974 deeply irritated Pakistan. They decided to build their own atomic bomb at all costs. Because if you don't build it again, I'm afraid that your territory will be encroached upon by India. However, in addition to the technical difficulties, they also faced the problem of a shortage of enriched uranium. This is because the materials for the manufacture of nuclear weapons have always been firmly controlled by the United States and the Soviet Union.
However, there is no endless road. Soon, the Pakistani side waited for the light. In the 80s, when the Soviet Union brazenly sent troops to attack Afghanistan, relations between Pakistan and Sudan were tense, and the United States saw the benefits and immediately reversed course and wanted to include Pakistan under its command. As a result, the United States not only provided economic support to Pakistan, but also provided personnel assistance, gave away key nuclear weapons technologies for free, and then secretly gave a lot of uranium raw materials. At this time, France also came, and the two sides cooperated in the construction of a nuclear waste treatment plant.
After having money, technology, and materials, there is still the question of how to separate enriched uranium? Fortunately, there are still patriotic talents on the Pakistani side, and nuclear scientist Abdul Qadir Khan has stepped forward. He worked in the Netherlands and mastered uranium separation technology. After returning to China, he led the team to solve the problem immediately.
Seeing that a nuclear bomb was about to be built, the US attitude towards Pakistan has changed again, causing Pakistan to suffer international public opinion pressure and sanctions. Progress in nuclear weapons research and development has been repeatedly postponed. It was not until 1998 that neighboring India brazenly conducted five nuclear tests, at which time Pakistan was determined to start nuclear tests in response to India's deterrence in response to international sanctions.
Today, Pakistan has surpassed India in the number of nuclear warheads, about 160 or so. And claims to have mastered the "triad" nuclear strike capability. It has also discouraged India from acting rashly, even though the Kashmir issue continues to lead to conflict between the two sides. However, it has always been controlled in skirmishes, small-scale operations, and the use of conventional weapons, and it does not dare to cross the mine pool by half a step.