Arms Control

Pacts and treaties have changed the course of history. In the United States, land treaties tripled the size of the nation. Treaties with America's first peoples -- the Indian tribes -- transformed the country from a sparsely settled land of many nations into one nation with industrial centers and a growing European population. Beginning in the nineteenth century, world leaders forged treaties that have improved the treatment of people caught in the tragedy of war and that limit the use of war's weapons. All the pacts and treaties detailed in the series have made their mark on the world.Beginning with the 1868 Declaration of St. Petersburg, which called for a ban on the use of explosive projectiles, world leaders have attempted to place limits on weapons of war. The account of their efforts to control arms is a fascinating one, filled with frustration, hope, and political maneuverings. The story continues today as leaders negotiate global arms control treaties while the specter of nuclear destruction threatens the world and its people.