Part 5/11:
Nations began conducting extensive nuclear testing in remote locations. The U.S. developed thermonuclear bombs, escalating the scale of destruction, which could annihilate life on Earth. Events like the 1954 Bikini Atoll test exposed civilians to hazardous radiation fallout, igniting public outcry against nuclear proliferation. This pushback eventually led to negotiations for a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
However, the challenge of monitoring compliance, particularly for underground tests, remained a serious issue. The inability to verify adherence to test ban agreements fueled ongoing distrust between superpowers. Consequently, many test bans turned out to be only partial, allowing for continued nuclear development and testing in secret conditions.