American Experience

The United States conducted 1030 nuclear tests from 1945 - 1992. The Soviet Union conducted 715 tests between 1949 and 1990. In September, 1996 the United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which prohibits all "nuclear weapons test explosions and all other nuclear explosions." As of September 1998, 150 nations had signed the treaty, and 21 nations had ratified it. Notable exceptions are India and Pakistan, both of which conducted nuclear tests in May, 1998. To read the text of the CTBT go to http://www.prop1.org/2000/ctbttxt1.htm.