The development of the atomic bomb marked a pivotal moment in human history, forever altering the balance of global power and ushering in the era of nuclear superpowers. The United States, with its successful detonation of the first atomic bomb in 1945, became the world's first nuclear power, followed shortly after by the Soviet Union. This newfound nuclear capability transformed these nations into formidable adversaries, leading to a tense standoff and the Cold War, characterized by a delicate balance of terror, where each side possessed the destructive power to annihilate the other. The rise of these nuclear superpowers also sparked an intense arms race and raised profound questions about ethics, global security, and the potential consequences of nuclear warfare.
