World War III facts for kids

World War III is the name for a possible third world war. It would be a huge global conflict that might happen after World War II (which was from 1939 to 1945).

A world war usually means many countries fighting each other, sometimes all over the world. It could also be a very big war between just a few powerful nations.

Because weapons and technology are so advanced now, many people think that if this war ever happens, it could involve nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. These are often called weapons of mass destruction.

• Biological weapons use living things, like tiny bacteria or viruses, to cause harm.
• Chemical weapons might not kill quickly, but they can poison people or their land.
• Nuclear weapons are the most powerful, causing massive explosions and radiation.

These weapons could cause huge damage to the Earth and kill many people and animals. Albert Einstein, a famous scientist, once said something like: "I don't know what weapons will be used in World War III, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." This means he believed the weapons in a third world war could be so destructive that they might end civilization as we know it.

Past Events Called World War III

Sometimes, certain big events have been called "World War III." For example, the Cold War was sometimes given this name. Also, former President of the United States George W. Bush compared the War on Terrorism to World War III.

However, neither of these events was truly a world war like the first two. The Cold War was mostly a period of tension and competition, not a direct fighting war. The War on Terrorism involved conflicts in specific areas and was not a global war between many major countries. Terrorism is a type of conflict, but it's not the same as a world war.

Related Ideas

• Eschatology (the study of end times)
• Nuclear war (a war fought with nuclear weapons)

Images for kids

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  Nuclear warfare is a common theme of World War III scenarios. Such a conflict has been hypothesised to result in human extinction.

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  If activated, Operation Reforger would have largely consisted of convoys like this one from Operation Earnest Will in 1987, although much larger. While troops could easily fly across the Atlantic, the heavy equipment and armor reinforcements would have to come by sea.

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  President Ronald Reagan and Soviet double agent Oleg Gordievsky, who later told the west how close the Able Archer 83 exercise had brought the Soviets to ordering a First Strike.

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  Large nuclear weapons stockpile with global range (dark blue), smaller stockpile with global range (medium blue)

See also

In Spanish: Tercera Guerra Mundial para niños