NUCLEAR INNOVATION AND NATIONAL SECURITY

The national security of the United States and the ability of the US government to provide for the nation’s common defense has declined since the end of the nuclear innovation age in the late 1980s. Nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons have deteriorated due to political pressure, decreasing oil prices, and apathy toward the America’s nuclear infrastructure and community. This thesis examines the US government’s inability to guarantee the nation’s security from rising powers like China and India due to America’s lack of nuclear innovation over the last 30 years. Utilizing historical narratives, scientific examinations, and geopolitical data, this thesis will demonstrate that 21st century security threats from conventional powers arise as a result of stagnant nuclear innovation.