That_Time_Taiwan_Almost_Built_a_Nuke

- Taiwan = nearly developed nuclear weapons

- Motivation = security fears after retreating from mainland China and PLA nukes

- Early nuclear work = under Chiang Kai-shek as covert military project, disguised as civilian research

- US originally stationed up to 200 nuclear weapons on Taiwan in the 1960s

- Military officers sent abroad to learn nuclear science; US supplied first research reactor

- PRC's first nuclear test in 1964 = panic in Taiwan, urgent acceleration of weapons program

- US discovered suspicious activities; Taiwan slowed program, signed NPT to access civilian tech

- Canada sold Taiwan a small heavy-water reactor, theory = could produce own plutonium

- Taiwan diversified secret sites, bypassed IAEA inspections easily

- US successfully blocked most major nuclear purchases; smaller acquisitions slipped through

- Taiwan completed preliminary nuclear bomb design by 1975; could have weapon in 3 years

- IAEA discovered secret lab for plutonium metal, quantities unaccounted for

- US detected plutonium reprocessing from air sampling; warned Taiwan via media leaks

- US ultimatum: end weapons program or lose all military aid

- Taiwan dismantled some facilities, outwardly complied; but covert work continued

- US and IAEA inspections = often circumvented, weak safeguards and security laxness

- Taiwan shifted to covert uranium enrichment, misled inspectors with site tours

- US-Taiwan conflict escalated; enrichment admitted but denied weapon intent

- Carter cancelled Mutual Defense Treaty, replaced by less-robust Taiwan Relations Act

- Taiwan considered using existing plutonium stocks for weapons, but paused

- Military regained influence, operated weapons program behind civilian fronts

- 1982: secret nuclear collaboration with apartheid South Africa = shared expertise, uranium, chemical enrichment

- US uncovered South Africa deal; forced Taiwan to cancel it

- Hot cells built for practice in plutonium extraction, disguised as medical use; US demanded shutdown

- Taiwan unsuccessfully sought nuclear cooperation with France, Israel, Saudi Arabia

- 1980s: Taiwan's goal = bomb-ready in 6 months as deterrence against China

- Problems = insufficient delivery systems, testing constraints, material shortage, limited scientist awareness

- Built covert reprocessing plant, caught again by US/IAEA via intelligence leaks

- 1987: high-explosives experiments, nuclear bomb design finalized; intended delivery = plane drop tank, seen as suicide mission

- Main bottleneck = delivery means; missile/aircraft options limited

- 1988: Program ended decisively after Chiang Ching-kuo's death and US intervention

- US team irreversibly dismantled research reactor; secret plant encased in concrete

- Taiwan's nuclear facilities administratively and physically broken up to prevent military control

- Occasional nuclear threats since, but no credible restart attempts

- Strong domestic opposition since 2000s = end of both military and civilian nuclear expansion

- Taiwan's program = most advanced clandestine nuclear weapons effort discovered

- Success blocked by dependence on US support and global nonproliferation pressure