IntroductionThe emergence of nuclear weapons was caused by mistrust between states, following advances in nuclear research on the fission of uranium. Fearing that Germany would create a nuclear weapon first, the United States put significant resources into nuclear research and the development of the first nuclear weapon. The Soviet Union then tested its first atomic bomb in 1949, thus starting a nuclear arms race between countries that continues to this day. The official nuclear countries, Russia, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and China have shown no intention of upgrading their nuclear weapons, fueling proliferation by non-nuclear states. Although numerous non-nuclear countries have attempted to acquire nuclear weapons, few are known to have succeeded. Those with nuclear weapons programs include India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan. There are fears that other countries such as Iran, South Korea, Taiwan, Syria and Libya may actively seek nuclear weapons, or may decide to do so. in the future. The reasons for seeking nuclear weapons vary from country to country, but the primary reason remains national security. Other countries are driven by the need for prestige associated with possessing nuclear weapons. In unstable regions such as the Middle East, countries seeking nuclear weapons are driven primarily by the need to balance power with neighboring countries in order to avoid attacks. The pursuit of nuclear weapons is often shrouded in secrecy, making it difficult to know how many countries are doing so. Some countries such as South Africa and Iraq have ended their nuclear programs, but this too has been done under a veil of secrecy which makes it difficult to determine an inventory of nuclear weapons in the world... middle of paper... ...les development of nuclear weapons. Global Affairs. Issue 16, August 2009 David Krieger, Why Nations Go Nuclear, (2005) Article available at: www.wagingpeace.org Daniel A. Pinkston, North Korean Motivations to Develop Nuclear Weapons Ian Bellany, Coit D. Blacker, Joseph Gallacher, The Nuclear Non- proliferationTreaty, (Routledge Publishers, 1985) Jonathan Dean, "The Final Stage of Nuclear Arms Control," The Washington Quarterly,Vol 17, No 4, pp. 31-52Joseph Cirincione, Bomb Scare: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons(NewYork: Columbia University Press, 2008)Samuel P. Huntington, "The Clash of Civilizations?" Foreign Affairs, vol 72, no. 3, summer 1993, pp. 22-49 Scott D. Sagan, Why do states build nuclear weapons?: Three models in search of a bomb International Security, vol. 21, no. 3. (1996-1997), pp. 54-86.