The Hydrogen Bomb and the Nuclear Arms Race

First American Thermonuclear Detonation

Nov 1, 1952

The first full-scale thermonuclear detonation occured at Eniwetok atoll in the Pacific, set off by the United States. Is approximately 1000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb. Used the Teller-Ulam design, created by Edward Teller and Stanislaw Ulam, with the help of Josh von Neumann. Opposed by Robert Oppenheimer

First Soviet Thermonuclear Test

Aug 12, 1953

RDS-6s or Joe 4, the authenticity of this as a true hydrogen bomb is disputed. Testing occured at Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan. Developed by Andrei Sakharov and Vitaly Ginzburg

First True Soviet Hydrogen Bomb Test

Nov 22, 1955

RDS-37 was the first "true" hydrogen bomb. It was air-dropped in Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan, making it the first air-dropped two-stage thermonuclear test

First British Hydrogen Bomb

May 1, 1957

Under William Penney, the first British Hydrogen Bomb was built and tested.

First Chinese H-Bomb Detonation

Jul 17, 1967

Reported Indian Thermonuclear Detonation

May 18, 1998