The Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT), also called the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, was a multilateral treaty signed in 1977 by the United States, France, and Oceania as part of an agreement not to conduct atmospheric, underwater or above-ground nuclear testing. It was meant dually to slow the ongoing arms race as well as prevent the further release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. The impetus for the treaty was inspired by the unsuccessful Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between France and United States under Clyde Dawley as well as the nuclear attacks against Burmese positions by the Chinese in December 1976. The treaty, which had been under works for close to two years and had broad support in both the United States and Oceania, was fast-tracked shortly thereafter to inclu