Which country detonated an atomic bomb in the Sahara Desert on February 13, 1960?
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Answer: C. France
Explanation
France detonated its very first atomic bomb in the Sahara Desert on February 13, 1960. This nuclear test demonstrated French capability and established the nation as an independent nuclear power. The explosive device was successfully detonated at a remote test site located in Algerian territory. The historic French nuclear test was officially given the secret code-name Gerboise Bleue. During this period, Algeria was still under French administration before achieving its ultimate national independence. France became the fourth nation in the entire world to develop and test a functional nuclear weapon.
Developing an independent nuclear deterrent was a cornerstone of French foreign policy under President Charles de Gaulle. The tests in the Sahara left enduring environmental and health legacies that are still discussed today. It represents a major technological milestone in the history of Cold War nuclear proliferation. Germany is incorrect because its nuclear weapons program was abandoned during the Second World War. USA is incorrect because American nuclear testing began much earlier in the nineteen-forties. Britain is incorrect because British nuclear tests were conducted in Australia and the Pacific Ocean.
- Subject
- Political Science
- Category
- International Relations
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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