Conventional weapons do not cause mass destruction, while weapons of mass destruction (WMD) include nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Many countries have signed treaties banning the use of WMD and some conventional weapons. Modern conventional weapons refer to handguns and chemical explosives. WMD are classified into three categories: nuclear, chemical, and biological. They are criticized for their disproportionate level of damage. Some conventional weapons, such as landmines and incendiary bombs, also cause civilian casualties and property destruction.
Conventional weapons are weapons that do not cause mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) include nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Weapons of mass destruction are a source of political controversy within and between nations. Many countries have signed treaties banning the use of weapons of mass destruction and some conventional weapons, such as landmines and incendiary weapons.
Modern conventional weapons generally refer to handguns and chemical explosives. Guns fire solid projectiles that cause damage when they collide with an enemy target. Chemical explosives can be fired by infantry, tanks, aircraft and naval vessels and detonate on contact.
Weapons of mass destruction are generally classified into three categories, one of which is nuclear. Nuclear weapons produce an enormous amount of thermal energy over a large area by splitting or fusing atomic nuclei. The only nuclear weapons used in warfare were those dropped by the United States on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Many of the major world powers today possess nuclear weapons. A major foreign policy goal of many of these nations is to prevent the spread, or proliferation, of these weapons around the world.
A second type of weapons of mass destruction is chemical. Chemical weapons typically release a chemical agent that is directly harmful or lethal to humans in the area. They can also target vegetation or animal life upon which enemy forces depend. Although many conventional weapons use chemical reactions to explode, chemical weapons are not dependent on explosive force. Chemical weapons generally do not produce a disaster zone as large as nuclear weapons, but are classified as weapons of mass destruction due to the widespread nature of their effects.
A final category of weapons of mass destruction is biological. Biological weapons involve harmful living agents, typically bacteria and viruses. These weapons can be genetically engineered to produce specific damaging effects in an enemy. There are some shared characteristics between chemical and biological weapons, but since the latter could be spread from person to person, it has the potential to infect entire populations.
Weapons of mass destruction are often criticized due to the disproportionate level of damage they cause when used. Some conventional weapons, however, are criticized for the same reasons. Despite their wartime effects on soldiers, landmines often maim or kill civilians after a conflict has ended. Similarly, incendiary bombs designed to start fires often cause many civilian casualties and property destruction. For these reasons, many nations signed the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Geneva, Switzerland in 1980.
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