How do you think World War III will pan out?
- Thread starter Nouw
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I thought WW3 already happened. The cold war was pretty damn hot for people not living in North America, Oceania or Europe. It wasn't nearly as compact and newspaper worthy as the first two, but the death-toll was quite comparable.
That one was mostly fought with AK-47s. Man is that ever a sweet gun.
That one was mostly fought with AK-47s. Man is that ever a sweet gun.
I always thought a United Arab Nations would be a part of WW3 with America being the main opposition and various countries picking sides depending on the oil output (as that would be strained) unless developed countries started driving alternate fuels. Tensions would rise, eventually more nuclear powers would get involved on both side, and someone will drop a bomb on a city, backlash, end of war, and humankind will be back in the stone age and amidst a nuclear winter.
What population suvived the war will struggle for multiple generations afterwards.
What population suvived the war will struggle for multiple generations afterwards.
Coming from someone who spends most of his time studying history, economics and politics I would say that today it is impossible. The only country that might be capable of starting a proper war at this stage is North Korea, and the Chinese wouldn't intervene actively like they did last time due to extensive economic ties to the opponents of Kim Jong Il's regime.
The only reason they send even a little help at this stage is to avoid large streams of North Korean refugees from when the state would otherwise inevitably collapse.
In a few hundred years we might see colonies trying to break off from Earth but the likely political situation in 2-300 years is too difficult to predict.
The reason the last two world wars were possible was because the economies of nations were not interwoven like they are today, and back then wars were a lot cheaper in terms of equipment and destruction costs than they are today, so in the end it is greed that has saved our generation. Go figure. >_>
The only reason they send even a little help at this stage is to avoid large streams of North Korean refugees from when the state would otherwise inevitably collapse.
In a few hundred years we might see colonies trying to break off from Earth but the likely political situation in 2-300 years is too difficult to predict.
The reason the last two world wars were possible was because the economies of nations were not interwoven like they are today, and back then wars were a lot cheaper in terms of equipment and destruction costs than they are today, so in the end it is greed that has saved our generation. Go figure. >_>
SAS members attempt to find a nuclear device on board a cargo ship. They clear the ship and kill the soldiers aboard, but the ship is attacked by MiGs and begins to sink. The team escapes with the cargo manifest, which provides evidence of ties between the Russian Ultranationalist Party and a rebel faction in the Middle East.
The Russian Ultranationalist leader, who plans to return his motherland to the times of the Soviet Union, draws international attention away from his plans by funding a coup in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, organized by a local separatist leader. Discovering the plot, the American government starts a police action to stop the uprising, while the SAS continues to operate in Russia. After the President of the Middle Eastern country is executed on live television and the separatists takes control, the SAS rescue their compromised agent from Russian Ultranationalist forces.
In the American invade the Middle Eastern country; they deploy to search for the separatist leader, but are too late, and proceed to aid other American units fighting the separatists. During the final stages of the operation, United States Central Command learns of the leaders position in the capital, but is also notified by Special Forces units of a Russian nuclear weapon nearby, and sends the Nuclear Emergency Support Team to disarm it. However, the nuclear device suddenly detonates, leveling most of the city, killing his own army, citizens, and the US Invasion Force.
The British learn that the leader fled the country before the American invasion, and is hiding in a safe house in Azerbaijan. With the help of intelligence and Assistance from Loyalist Russian soldiers, the SAS clear the village of the Ultranationalist forces and capture and interrogate the separatist leader at his safe house. After listening to the voice callingthe leader's phone he is executed, now knowing that a Russian Ultranationalist leader behind it all.
A joint operation is conducted by the SAS, USMC Force Recon, and Loyalist Russian forces. They capture the Ultranationalst leader's son in an unnamed Russian city, to learn of the leader's whereabouts, but as they corner him, the son commits suicide to avoid being captured. The leader becomes enraged, blaming Western nations for the death of his son, and plans to retaliate by launching ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads at the East Coast of the United States, with predicted losses of over 41 million people. When the Task Force operatives arrive at the facility in Russia, he manages to launch ICBMs towards the United States. However, the squad successfully seizes the silo command room and remote detonates the missiles over the Atlantic. They escape the facility in military trucks with forces in hot pursuit.
Before the squad can escape across a nearby bridge, it is destroyed by a helicopter, leaving them trapped. Forces arrive and engage the remaining members of the strike force. On the bridge, a gas tanker explodes, incapacitating most of the soldiers nearby. The leader, along with two of his soldiers, begin executing the surviving members of the strike force. Before he reaches the last two, he is distracted by the destruction of his gunship and the arrival of the Loyalist helicopters. As he looks away, one solider slides his pistol to another, who shoots and kills the leader and his two guards.
The Russian Ultranationalist leader, who plans to return his motherland to the times of the Soviet Union, draws international attention away from his plans by funding a coup in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, organized by a local separatist leader. Discovering the plot, the American government starts a police action to stop the uprising, while the SAS continues to operate in Russia. After the President of the Middle Eastern country is executed on live television and the separatists takes control, the SAS rescue their compromised agent from Russian Ultranationalist forces.
In the American invade the Middle Eastern country; they deploy to search for the separatist leader, but are too late, and proceed to aid other American units fighting the separatists. During the final stages of the operation, United States Central Command learns of the leaders position in the capital, but is also notified by Special Forces units of a Russian nuclear weapon nearby, and sends the Nuclear Emergency Support Team to disarm it. However, the nuclear device suddenly detonates, leveling most of the city, killing his own army, citizens, and the US Invasion Force.
The British learn that the leader fled the country before the American invasion, and is hiding in a safe house in Azerbaijan. With the help of intelligence and Assistance from Loyalist Russian soldiers, the SAS clear the village of the Ultranationalist forces and capture and interrogate the separatist leader at his safe house. After listening to the voice callingthe leader's phone he is executed, now knowing that a Russian Ultranationalist leader behind it all.
A joint operation is conducted by the SAS, USMC Force Recon, and Loyalist Russian forces. They capture the Ultranationalst leader's son in an unnamed Russian city, to learn of the leader's whereabouts, but as they corner him, the son commits suicide to avoid being captured. The leader becomes enraged, blaming Western nations for the death of his son, and plans to retaliate by launching ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads at the East Coast of the United States, with predicted losses of over 41 million people. When the Task Force operatives arrive at the facility in Russia, he manages to launch ICBMs towards the United States. However, the squad successfully seizes the silo command room and remote detonates the missiles over the Atlantic. They escape the facility in military trucks with forces in hot pursuit.
Before the squad can escape across a nearby bridge, it is destroyed by a helicopter, leaving them trapped. Forces arrive and engage the remaining members of the strike force. On the bridge, a gas tanker explodes, incapacitating most of the soldiers nearby. The leader, along with two of his soldiers, begin executing the surviving members of the strike force. Before he reaches the last two, he is distracted by the destruction of his gunship and the arrival of the Loyalist helicopters. As he looks away, one solider slides his pistol to another, who shoots and kills the leader and his two guards.
WW3 will involve nuclear weapons, and if it does happen, the world is screwed. I think a small country will get pissed at a bigger one and launch an attack, leading to a world-wide war. Or it will be because of religious disputes over differences. Face it, there's a ton of hate in the world.
Whenever and however WWIII starts I'm sure the US will be involved. After WWII we went from being generally isolationist to thinking ourselves as the policemen of the world. We will probably get involved early on in whatever conflict starts the whole process.
As for nuclear weapons, I doubt that they will be used, at least at first. Maybe some smaller nation will attempt to use them to even the playing field, but they will probably be shot down by a more powerful nation, who will just retalite with convetional means. Maybe if one of the bigger nations is ruled by some psychotic dictator and is about to go under, they may just launch their nukes a final "If we're going down, we're taking you all with us."
It might not even be that wide-spread as the first two WW's as well. All (or at least most of) the fighting might be limited to one particular theater, perhaps in two small bickering nations from either side. Although that's more of a guess, as warfare just isn't the same as when WW I & II were going on.
And it will probably be really bloody for one side because they will be too stupid to adapt to the new style of warfare. It always happens. I don't know who (my guess is on Russia, they have a tendency to try the human wave tactic in every war), but I'm sure it will happen.
As for nuclear weapons, I doubt that they will be used, at least at first. Maybe some smaller nation will attempt to use them to even the playing field, but they will probably be shot down by a more powerful nation, who will just retalite with convetional means. Maybe if one of the bigger nations is ruled by some psychotic dictator and is about to go under, they may just launch their nukes a final "If we're going down, we're taking you all with us."
It might not even be that wide-spread as the first two WW's as well. All (or at least most of) the fighting might be limited to one particular theater, perhaps in two small bickering nations from either side. Although that's more of a guess, as warfare just isn't the same as when WW I & II were going on.
And it will probably be really bloody for one side because they will be too stupid to adapt to the new style of warfare. It always happens. I don't know who (my guess is on Russia, they have a tendency to try the human wave tactic in every war), but I'm sure it will happen.
As far as I can see, there are four possible "starting points" for WW3, rated from most likely (1) to least likely (4)
1. Some sort of Islamic Alliance forms to oppose NATO/ISAF/The Coalition. The only reason that we really can have troops in the Middle East, is because however much they may dislike us, the middle eastern nations don't like each other enough to side against us. This is pretty unlikely, but still the most likely of the unlikely! This would be your more "cold war" style WW3, with a significant build up of forces by both sides prior to the actual conflict. Even then, the situation will likely be defused in a similar manner to the first cold war.
2. North Korea decides to blow the South up, for whatever reason, China sides with N.Korea, shit happens! Oh noes! Nukes are thrown about, everyone has a bit of a laugh, then it's the end of the world.
3. China invades Russia. This situation becomes less likely every passing day.
4. Economic/Social collapse in the West on an unprecedented scale. This is the least likely way I can see. One of the major deterrents for most potential wars is that NATO are inevitably going to start sticking their noises into it. And let's face it, our armies are pretty much tourists with automatic weaponry. And instead of taking pictures of famous cultural locations and monuments, we blow them up. The sort of thing I'm talking about is going to be stuff like almost all US states declaring independence, Germany splitting in half again, another English civil war, and the French surrendering (to themselves). All at the same time. Ie, pretty much impossible.
If none of these happens, I personally predict the next "total war" situation (as in, all the efforts of countries being put towards a conflict, like in WW2) will be between humans and aliens.
1. Some sort of Islamic Alliance forms to oppose NATO/ISAF/The Coalition. The only reason that we really can have troops in the Middle East, is because however much they may dislike us, the middle eastern nations don't like each other enough to side against us. This is pretty unlikely, but still the most likely of the unlikely! This would be your more "cold war" style WW3, with a significant build up of forces by both sides prior to the actual conflict. Even then, the situation will likely be defused in a similar manner to the first cold war.
2. North Korea decides to blow the South up, for whatever reason, China sides with N.Korea, shit happens! Oh noes! Nukes are thrown about, everyone has a bit of a laugh, then it's the end of the world.
3. China invades Russia. This situation becomes less likely every passing day.
4. Economic/Social collapse in the West on an unprecedented scale. This is the least likely way I can see. One of the major deterrents for most potential wars is that NATO are inevitably going to start sticking their noises into it. And let's face it, our armies are pretty much tourists with automatic weaponry. And instead of taking pictures of famous cultural locations and monuments, we blow them up. The sort of thing I'm talking about is going to be stuff like almost all US states declaring independence, Germany splitting in half again, another English civil war, and the French surrendering (to themselves). All at the same time. Ie, pretty much impossible.
If none of these happens, I personally predict the next "total war" situation (as in, all the efforts of countries being put towards a conflict, like in WW2) will be between humans and aliens.
There are still lots and lots of alliances hanging about the place, some are official like NATO and others are more idealogical.Dr. Whiggs said:
It will be started by an EMP blast hitting Russia, knocking out EVERYTHING. Russia will somehow manage to get some electronics up and running, enough to launch a nuke at America. America will retaliate and Britain will be caught in the crossfire. Great Britain will fall into ruin, and Russia and America will destroy each other. Nuclear winter, followed by about a quarter of the world's population going crazy.
I don't know, something like that.
I don't know, something like that.
I become a serial killer who makes the entire world hate me by killing off anyone I want and hitting 10's of thousands of people. The world governments will unite to find and capture me. A faction will arise that supports me. They will do battle. I will kill my support faction because of difference in dogma, and the governments will find me, kill me, and then world peace will ensue due to mutual camaraderie of what they did to me : )
It can be a never ending chain of world wars where man goes up against something new every time.I am Omega said:
One think people might want to keep in mind is that while nuclear weapons could (and certainly would) wipe out all cities and civilian infrastructure, the military was preparing for a nuclear apocalypse long ago and today they are quite well defended against it. Missile launch sites are still secret (and missile subs are absolutely impossible to find), critical command centers are buried underneath mountains and shielded against the EMPs of nuclear weapons, and troops are distributed enough that it would be very hard to have a Pearl Harbor-like attack that crippled a nation in one stroke. Such an exchange would probably involve all nuclear powers western, eastern, and everything in between--I don't think anyone would be able to get away with sitting out the war.
The war itself would probably be very short as all civilization is wiped out. But the military will survive to prowl through the wasteland afterwards. Of course, there won't be electricity to keep most things running, and running a radar station would be suicidal (as soon as anyone detected radar emissions, they would route a nuke over to it). And while the popular belief is that a nuclear war would result in extinction, I'm not so sure. It would depend on if the survivors could figure out a way to survive after. Keep in mind that the evacuated zone around Chernobyl, instead of becoming a dead radioactive wasteland, is actually a thriving nature preserve with abundant wildlife and plants. It is more radioactive than most other places, but the animals seem to be able to deal with it. I bet humans could, too. At least enough to continue the species. But a nuclear war would probably be the death of whichever societies participated in it. And that could be good or bad.
On the one hand, it would be pretty scary if a powerful military were suddenly stripped of all civilian controls and obligations. Imagine a US military that could pursue pure power without voters to slow it down or territory or colonial interests to defend? They might become the next Mongol Horde. But their power would definitely depend on how much of their command and control structure they were able to preserve. For example, fighter jets are pretty powerful, but it takes a LOT of work, parts, and fuel to keep them flying, and an awful lot of that is outside the military's control and would be eliminated.
Assuming the military was reduced down to the level of everyone else, would the destruction of superpower society really be that bad? I mean, I don't want to die, but my country, the US, has quite the stranglehold on the world and is keeping a lot of places pinned down. Imagine if that power monopoly was removed? Areas that would likely be spared from the attacks--Africa, Central and South America, and places like that--would have a chance to grow without being held down. Instead of being the downtrodden masses, they might be transformed into the seed of the next civilization. As long as somebody survived, I would be content (though very, very dead).
Maybe it's just the contrarian in me, but I doubt that a nuclear war would eradicate all of humanity--it would probably just eradicate the people and countries who are too self-centered to realize that there is more to humanity than just them.
The war itself would probably be very short as all civilization is wiped out. But the military will survive to prowl through the wasteland afterwards. Of course, there won't be electricity to keep most things running, and running a radar station would be suicidal (as soon as anyone detected radar emissions, they would route a nuke over to it). And while the popular belief is that a nuclear war would result in extinction, I'm not so sure. It would depend on if the survivors could figure out a way to survive after. Keep in mind that the evacuated zone around Chernobyl, instead of becoming a dead radioactive wasteland, is actually a thriving nature preserve with abundant wildlife and plants. It is more radioactive than most other places, but the animals seem to be able to deal with it. I bet humans could, too. At least enough to continue the species. But a nuclear war would probably be the death of whichever societies participated in it. And that could be good or bad.
On the one hand, it would be pretty scary if a powerful military were suddenly stripped of all civilian controls and obligations. Imagine a US military that could pursue pure power without voters to slow it down or territory or colonial interests to defend? They might become the next Mongol Horde. But their power would definitely depend on how much of their command and control structure they were able to preserve. For example, fighter jets are pretty powerful, but it takes a LOT of work, parts, and fuel to keep them flying, and an awful lot of that is outside the military's control and would be eliminated.
Assuming the military was reduced down to the level of everyone else, would the destruction of superpower society really be that bad? I mean, I don't want to die, but my country, the US, has quite the stranglehold on the world and is keeping a lot of places pinned down. Imagine if that power monopoly was removed? Areas that would likely be spared from the attacks--Africa, Central and South America, and places like that--would have a chance to grow without being held down. Instead of being the downtrodden masses, they might be transformed into the seed of the next civilization. As long as somebody survived, I would be content (though very, very dead).
Maybe it's just the contrarian in me, but I doubt that a nuclear war would eradicate all of humanity--it would probably just eradicate the people and countries who are too self-centered to realize that there is more to humanity than just them.
Batman will fight the joker
One will accidentally hit some elseone, they join in, the other brings in their friends
It will grow from there until world war 3
One will accidentally hit some elseone, they join in, the other brings in their friends
It will grow from there until world war 3
Well whenever it starts, I just hope the only thing Germany has to offer to the war is the Millitary fasion sense. Face it, in WW2 Germany took hone the "best dressed" medal by far.
I mean come on! No other country was sporting black trench coats, imagain a general dressed like Neo.
In all seriousness though, war (contrary to fallout) has changed. Modern war (against another country, not against terrorists) is about destroying the milllitary targets only in the hopes of rebuilding the two countries relationship after the war ends. The World wars where about destroying the country as a whole, Millitary and civilians alike.
I mean come on! No other country was sporting black trench coats, imagain a general dressed like Neo.
In all seriousness though, war (contrary to fallout) has changed. Modern war (against another country, not against terrorists) is about destroying the milllitary targets only in the hopes of rebuilding the two countries relationship after the war ends. The World wars where about destroying the country as a whole, Millitary and civilians alike.
What's America's beef with North Korea anyway?
I mean, why do you think they'll ever start a war? NK doesn't have shit, a war with SK is pretty much impossible (good luck trying to cross that border, especially with your military being inferior on all levels), so who and how should they ever fight?
Same thing with China, a country that is entirely dependent on foreign countries will suddenly attack them? Why? So that their entire economy crumbles? Great plan.
Face it, the time of grand scale wars is over. Say what you want about globalization, but international dependency has made the world a whole lot more stable, wars are fought economically these days.
The worst thing we might ever see in the future is Iran vs. Israel, which would end with Iran getting "liberated" before Israel even realizes that they are under attack.
I mean, why do you think they'll ever start a war? NK doesn't have shit, a war with SK is pretty much impossible (good luck trying to cross that border, especially with your military being inferior on all levels), so who and how should they ever fight?
Same thing with China, a country that is entirely dependent on foreign countries will suddenly attack them? Why? So that their entire economy crumbles? Great plan.
Face it, the time of grand scale wars is over. Say what you want about globalization, but international dependency has made the world a whole lot more stable, wars are fought economically these days.
The worst thing we might ever see in the future is Iran vs. Israel, which would end with Iran getting "liberated" before Israel even realizes that they are under attack.