Nuclear non-proliferation on the international scene: an assessment of major solutions from a perspective that is both realistic and liberalAs 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 problems of global security in contemporary times” (Bluth, 2012). This is clear from the range of concerns and actions taken by governments around the world to resolve the issue of nuclear weapons. With over 22,000 nuclear weapons in existence today, international law must attempt to unite with nations to control, constrain, and potentially eliminate nuclear weapons (Bluth, 2012). The following essay will examine nuclear nonproliferation in the context of both a realist and liberal view of international relations and examine potential solutions to the problem. Before discussing both perspectives on these issues, it is important to examine the history 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 prompted the United States to secretly build its own atomic bomb. The first atomic device was detonated at a site near Alamogordo, New Mexico on July 16, 1945. This successful test led the United States and Great Britain to believe and agree that the atomic bomb could cause the surrender of the Japan without invasion and without Soviet aid. The first atomic bomb was dropped in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, followed by another in Nagasaki, Japan, on ...... middle of paper ......ir. Internet. April 20, 2014. Granoff, dean. “International humanitarian law and nuclear weapons: irreconcilable differences”. Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 67.7 (2011): 59-60. Internet. April 18, 2014. Gronlund, Lisbeth and Eryn MacDonald. “America, flooded with materials for nuclear weapons.” Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 70.2 (2014): 53-67. Premier Academic Research. Internet. April 19, 2014. Lifton, Robert Jay. “The Dimensions of Contemporary War and Violence: How to Reclaim Humanity from a Continuing Revolution in the Technology of Murder.” Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 69.4 (2013): 9-17. Premier Academic Research. Internet. April 19, 2014.Magnarella, Paul J. “Attempts to Reduce and Eliminate Nuclear Weapons through the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Establishment of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones.” Peace and Change 33.4 (2008): 21-25. Premier Academic Research. Internet. April 20. 2014.