H-bombs
Mushroom cloud makers
H-bombs are hydrogen bombs—thermonuclear weapons that derive their explosive power from nuclear fusion.
Far more destructive than atomic bombs, which use fission alone, H-bombs can be hundreds or thousands of times more powerful: The test H-bomb vaporized the island.
The term dates to the early Cold War arms race between the United States and Soviet Union.
Utter, complete destruction
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- vaporizationConversion to gas
- firestormSelf-perpetuating intense blaze
blast wave · shockwave · radiation sickness · fallout · contamination · casualties · apocalypse · holocaust
Munition's explosive section
- ICBMOcean-spanning nuclear delivery system
- ballistic missileSelf-propelled arcing munition
- missile siloUnderground warhead housing
- detonatorExplosive initiation device
first strike · second strike · deterrence · MAD · arsenal · stockpile · payload · delivery system
Escalating weapons accumulation between nations
- Cold WarProlonged East-West standoff
- proliferationRapid increase in quantity
- nonproliferationRestricting weapons dissemination
- treatyBinding pact between nations
disarmament · NATO · Soviet · Manhattan Project · Oppenheimer · testing · moratorium · Bikini Atoll
Joining into unity
- fissionNuclear breakup releasing energy
- thermonuclearInvolving nuclear fusion heat
- chain reactionSelf-sustaining causal sequence
- critical massThreshold for self-sustaining reaction
deuterium · tritium · plasma · neutrons · gamma rays · radiation · isotopes · yield
annihilation
Utter, complete destruction
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- vaporizationConversion to gas
firestorm · blast wave · shockwave · radiation sickness · fallout · contamination · casualties · apocalypse · holocaust · nuclear winter
warhead
Munition's explosive section
- ICBMOcean-spanning nuclear delivery system
- ballistic missileSelf-propelled arcing munition
- missile siloUnderground warhead housing
detonator · first strike · second strike · deterrence · MAD · arsenal · stockpile · payload · delivery system · reentry vehicle
arms race
Escalating weapons accumulation between nations
- Cold WarProlonged East-West standoff
- proliferationRapid increase in quantity
- nonproliferationRestricting weapons dissemination
treaty · disarmament · NATO · Soviet · Manhattan Project · Oppenheimer · testing · moratorium · Bikini Atoll · Nevada
fusion
Joining into unity
- fissionNuclear breakup releasing energy
- thermonuclearInvolving nuclear fusion heat
- chain reactionSelf-sustaining causal sequence
critical mass · deuterium · tritium · plasma · neutrons · gamma rays · radiation · isotopes · yield · megatons
- Munitionsmissiles, bullets, ordnance, warheads, munitions
- Nuclear Armsnuclear arms, nukes, nuclear warheads, nuclear stockpile, nuclear deterrence
- WMDsnuclear weapons, chemical weapons, biological weapons, nukes, nerve gas
H-bombsA-bombs
Nuclear fission explosives, abbreviated
atomic bombs · fission bombs · Fat Man · Little Boy · dirty bombs
H-bombsfirecrackers
Small explosive novelties
conventional weapons · small arms · peashooters · slingshots · cap guns
H-bombsnuclear disarmament
Reducing atomic weapon stockpiles
peace treaties · disarmament · nuclear nonproliferation · disarmament agreements · olive branches
H-bomb, bomb, bombs, bombed, bombing, bomber, bombers, bombard, bombardment