World War III

The "Baker" Explosion, part of Operation Crossroads, a US Army nuclear test at Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, on July 25, 1946.

World War III (WWIII or WW3), often referred to as the Third World War, is an upcoming global conflict following World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Many believe it would involve the world’s major powers, similar to the previous world wars, but with the added threat of nuclear weapons or other forms of mass destruction, making it more widespread, destructive, and deadly than any conflict before it.

In the waning days of World War II, Churchill and other western leaders contemplated attacking the Soviets as a way to honor their prewar commitment to their ally, Poland. It was codenamed Operation Unthinkable. Soviet spies got wind of it and their units in Poland were ordered to assume defensive positions. Even though the Western Allies had the Atomic Bomb and better air and sea power, the Russians enjoyed a numerical superiority in men and artillery. Both sides were too exhausted from war to want to continue the fight, and the western Allies conceded most of eastern and central Europe to the Soviets.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was another time when WWIII was narrowly averted.

History

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Russian invasion of Ukraine: 24 February 2022–present

Buildings destroyed by the Russian Bombing of Borodianka, March 2022

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, significantly escalating the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. This marked the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. While some experts and analysts have argued that this invasion increases the risk of a third world war, others disagree.

In response to the invasion, at least 50 nations, including all NATO member states, have provided military aid to Ukraine. Russia has threatened retaliation against these countries, accusing NATO of conducting a "proxy war" against it. High-ranking Russian officials, including Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Dmitry Medvedev, have made statements perceived as nuclear threats, suggesting they might use nuclear weapons if certain "red lines" are crossed, such as aiding Ukraine in attacks on Russian soil. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg have emphasized the importance of preventing the conflict from escalating into a world war, while affirming NATO’s commitment to defend its members. The U.S. has warned Russia of "catastrophic" consequences if nuclear weapons are used, and former CIA Director David Petraeus suggested NATO would retaliate by targeting all Russian forces in Ukraine.

Tensions have risen with incidents like Russian airspace violations and the 2022 missile explosion in Poland, but direct conflict between NATO and Russia has been avoided. In early 2023, Putin withdrew Russia from the New START treaty, the last nuclear agreement with the U.S., and announced plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Russia’s nuclear threats have been viewed as an intimidation tactic to deter Western support for Ukraine. Initially, NATO restricted the types of weapons sent to Ukraine and prohibited their use against Russian territory. By mid-2024, NATO allowed Ukraine to strike military targets near the Russian border in self-defense using NATO-supplied weapons. Despite this, Russia has not acted on its nuclear threats or retaliated against NATO countries, even as its stated “red lines” have been crossed.

Meanwhile, countries like Iran and North Korea have supplied Russia with weapons and ammunition. In 2024, Russia and North Korea formalized a defense pact, leading to the deployment of 10,000 North Korean troops on Russia’s border to assist in the war. That November, Putin declared that the conflict had taken on a global dimension, claiming Russia had the right to target military facilities in countries supplying weapons used against its territory.

See also

• War
• World War I
• World War II

Further reading

• Huntington, Samuel (1996). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order Simon & Schuster, New York. ISBN 978-0-684-84441-1.
• Langford, David (1981). War in 2080 : the future of military technology. London: Sphere Books. ISBN 978-0-7221-5393-2.
• Mearsheimer, John (2001). The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. W. W. Norton, New York. ISBN 978-0-393-34927-6.
• Pamidi, G.G. (2012). Possibility of a nuclear war in Asia: An Indian perspective. New Delhi: United Service Institution of India: Vij Books India. ISBN 978-93-81411-51-3.
• Piepers, Ingo (2016). 2020: WARning. Conijn Advies. ISBN 978-90-824118-1-2.