South Africa's Secret Nuclear Weapons

During the Cold War, South Africa actually possessed nuclear weapons. However, they had to be a bit secretive to acquire them and test them.

00:00 - Intro
02:26 - South Africa Before Going Nuclear
04:55 - Sharing Data
09:14 - Building a Small Arsenal
11:11 - Destroying the Arsenal

Music Used:
"Decisions" by Kevin MacLeod

Sources:
- Albright, David; Gay, Corey (November–December 1997). "Proliferation: A flash from the past". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 53: 15–17.
- Burns, John F. “French Company to Build South African Atom Plant.” The New York Times, May 30, 1976.
- Keller, Bill. "South Africa Says It Built 6 Atom Bombs." The New York Times, March 25, 1993.
- McGreal, Chris. "Brothers in arms - Israel's secret pact with Pretoria." - The Guardian, UK, February 7, 2006.
- Pabian, Frank V. “South Africa’s Nuclear Weapon Program: Lessons for U.S. Nonproliferation Policy.” The Nonproliferation Review 3, no. 1 (1995): 1–19.

[zachariademessia]

During apartheid, my grandfather used to work at a company called Barlows and would get contracts from the SADF to develop their radar technology and radios. He would regularly go on trips to Israel. He often used to tell my uncles about how accurate missiles had gotten. There is no doubt in my mind that both Israel and South Africa cooperated in nuclear tests.

[HalfLifeExpert]

9:49 This is very important. Southern Africa is very much a forgotten theatre of Cold War I. Also, there is a theory that the South African government didn't decide to scrap it's nukes out of altruistic/end of Cold War reasons, but rather the end of Apartheid was imminent and the white leadership did not trust nukes in the hands of Black Africans. I don't have an opinion on this question, but it is very true that SA is the only state to build and completely dismantle a nuclear arsenal, a so far unrepeated feat.

[junkerju]

Interesting fact, during the cold war there was almost a "nuclear axis" between the three orphans of international politics of Israel, Soth Africa and Taiwan. All three of these countries are isolated on the international stage and worked together for nuclear weapons. However in Taiwan's first attempts for nukes in the 70s, the CIA noticed the anomalies and the US government gave pressure to force Taiwan to stop their nuclear program as well as a promise to never developing nuclear weapons since their positions is a lot more dangerous than Israel and South Africa with the possibility of triggering a nuclear war with China. However they broke this promise again in the late 80s and restarted the program, with estimates of completion with in one or two year before a scientist who was secretly a CIA agent leaked the info and the US once again forced Taiwan to cease all nuclear research.

[SamAronow]

8:14 fun fact: one of those spies was Edward Teller.

[marcello]

I remember that even Argentina tried to start a nuclear program.

[michaelkirschner]

Having a nuclear weapon is not such a big deal these days, my uncle recently started a nuclear weapons program as a hobby he even let me hold some cobalt-60

[Diablodaveisawsum]

Really makes you think about how many other nuclear-capable countries there could've been in the other countries of southern Africa. The world would be a lot more different if that were the case

[nacelnikprosiak]

Many people don't know this but Saudi Arabia is also suspected in having nukes as Saudi royal family supported Pakistani nuclear program financially and its believed that they have agreement on dual ownership of that nuclear arsenal

[notak]

Atoms for Peace program was also beginning of the Romanian nuclear program, known as the "Danube Program" which lasted from 1981 to 1989. Unfortunately, little is known about this program because a lot of information is still classified.

[NewSuperWario]

Spain also had a nuclear program and was close to achieving a bomb, but the person in charge (Carrero Blanco) was killed by ETA (Basque separatist terrorists) and Franco died two years after that, and the program was dismantled

[mrmr]

Some in the South African Apartheid regime were convinced an ANC victory would lead to the country becoming a Soviet satellite. They were very paranoid even for the era.

[svyalinirnhut]

Judging by the current state of South Africa, I'm sure glad they got rid of their nukes.

[neves]

Yo i like this diversification in channel content. Amazing video :D
And that video about South African policy would be interesting

[Robi]

That's one of the reasons I love this channel: history topics I had no idea about

[ommsterlitz]

5:36 Holy Sh France can build entire nuclear PLANETS since the the 70's 🤯🤯😰😰😨😨🫣😮😮😅

[dendostar]

I CLICKED SO HARD!

This is a great topic!

[cossackhistorian]

There was a fear in the later years and especially after 1991 that potentially there could be foreign US lead intervention in South Africa, especially if the army decided to save apartheid and overthrow De Klerk

[caeruleusvm]

A well balanced, well researched and concisely presented video Very interesting.

[loadeddice]

As mentioned in Tom Lehrer's Who's Next? - "South Africa wants two, that's right/one bomb for the black and one for the white"

[Mindecrafter]

5:35 France over here helping South Africa build a Death Star (before Star Wars was even a thing)