Acceptance and Approval

Is this a step in the grieving process? No, not quite. "Acceptance and approval" is a term used by some governments instead of "ratification." The terms might be different, but they basically mean the same thing: to confirm the commitment of a nation or sovereign state to the conditions of a treaty.

Atomic Bomb

KABLOOEY! An atomic bomb comes in many forms, but essentially it is a weapon of mass destruction that harnesses the power of nuclear energy to inflict untold damage upon people and property.

The only time atomic bombs have been used in warfare was during World War II, when the U.S. dropped one each on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Atomic bombs are also known as nuclear weapons. You can read more about the different types here.

Capitalism

Capitalism is about owning things. It's a gimme, gimme, gimme kind of socioeconomic arrangement based on being able to buy and sell those things. This is called "supply and demand," and it's a model that promotes the accumulation of wealth, which is defined by various degrees of having and not having.

Cold War

Brrrrrrrr. The Cold War was a period of time following World War II when relations between the U.S. and the USSR were particularly frigid. It involved a blizzard of diplomatic tensions between capitalist and communist ideals and bone-chilling threats of nuclear warfare. The Cold War ended with the collapse of communism and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1992.

Communism

In contrast to capitalism, communism is all about sharing. Communism doesn't value owning things but instead promotes the idea of evenly distributed wealth and resources. Everyone gets an equal slice of the pie—even if there are 25 of you.

Hey, no one said sharing is fun.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was an extremely tense 13-day period in October 1962 when the U.S. and the USSR approached the brink of nuclear war after the Soviets deployed missiles containing nuclear warheads to the island nation of Cuba.

Depositary Government

When dealing with treaties, a nation or nations are sometime designated "depositary governments." This is like an international buddy system that makes it easy for other nations that are not universally recognized to participate in treaty agreements.

Depositary governments are diplomatic "get-out-of-jail-free cards" that neither delegitimize nor legitimize a questionably sovereign state. Therefore, the political status quo is maintained, everyone stays happy, and the treaty is enjoyed by all. In the context of the PTBT, the depositary governments are the U.S., the U.K., and the USSR.

Yeah, international law is a complicated affair.

Instrument of Ratification

Unlike a kazoo, an instrument of ratification actually possesses some sort of cultural value. It is a formal document that is deposited by the government of a nation or a sovereign state in order to formalize its commitment to a treaty.

Ratification

Think of ratification as a pinky swear between two nations. Ratification fully confirms the commitment of a nation or sovereign state to the conditions of a treaty. Although it is possible to withdraw from a treaty, it's not a fast or easy process—and more often than not, it looks bad.

Signature Subject to Ratification, Acceptance, or Approval

In international law, "signature subject to ratification, acceptance, or approval" means that a designated government official has signed a treaty, therefore bonding his or her respective nation to the conditions of the treaty. However, to make the treaty fully enter into force, the government that is represented must ratify, accept, or approve of its terms. So complicated.

Treaty

If you think this sounds like something you feed your dog after it rolls over, barks, and shakes your hand, well, think again. A treaty is a formal agreement arrived at after much discussion between two governments. It usually results in advancing peace between nations.