Commemorating 60 Years of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
RegisterOn August 5, 1963, the United States signed a groundbreaking treaty with the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom to curtail the harmful effects on humankind from nuclear weapons testing.
This “Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty” was achieved despite deep mutual distrust between the Soviet Union and the United States. But public opinion, fears of a global nuclear war after the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and the Soviet-Sino split brought parties to the negotiating table. The treaty was “limited” because it only banned testing in the air, underwater, and in outer space. Underground testing would continue for another 30 years.
Sixty years later, the treaty has proved to be an important first step in slowing the spread of nuclear weapons.
On October 3, 2023, at 12:15 pm, NMAD’s Public Historian, Dr. Alison Mann will present a talk on the history and importance of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Following her presentation, Dr. Mann will moderate a conversation with Vince Manzo, a Foreign Affairs Officer who currently works on treaty implementation and compliance within the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance’s Office of Strategic Stability and Deterrence Affairs. They will discuss contemporary issues surrounding international arms control policy. In collaboration with the National Archives, the original copy of the treaty will be on display during the program.
At the conclusion of the event, guests are invited to view our preview exhibit, Diplomacy Is Our Mission, until 1:30 pm.
NMAD is located at 330 21st St NW, Washington, DC 20006, in the Harry S Truman Building. Visitors must enter at the 21st Street entrance to the U.S. Department of State (the glass building on 21st Street between D Street and C Street, NW). The talk will take place downstairs in the lower level. On the day of the program, please arrive by 12:00 pm (noon) to allow time for security. A government-issued photo ID is required for entry.
Please RSVP by October 2, 2023.
For further information or if you require reasonable accommodations to attend the event, please contact Emma Guyette at guyettee@state.gov.
Image: President John F. Kennedy signs the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty document in the Treaty Room of the White House. Courtesy John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Superimposed: Nuclear testing cloud from detonation on Christmas Island. Courtesy of National Archives.