The idea of a third world war is a subject of ongoing global discussion and concern, considering especially the possibility of large-scale global conflict with the immensely destructive potential of modern warfare. Its concept is considered feasible as a hypothetical global conflict. Why is it considered feasible?
Firstly, the development of powerful nuclear weapons is at an unprecedented pace and secondly, the geopolitical tensions, especially between major global powers, are at an all-time high. On January 3, 2026, the US carried out an operation in Venezuela, captured the country’s President Nicolás Maduro and detained him on US territory. Venezuela’s Vice President and world leaders have demanded for his immediate unconditional release. Will the US oblige?
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The 12-day Israeli-Iran war started on June 13, 2025 and ended with a ceasefire. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is still ongoing-the historic August 2025 Alaska meeting between US and Russian presidents, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, was billed as a vital step towards peace in Ukraine.
The story of the human race is awash with conflicts galore. The last two world wars were triggered by not-so-large incidents to warrant full-scale devastating global wars at the beginning and mid-20th Century.
The mega question, therefore, is not when or how, but will humanity survive a full-scale third world war? From the ashes of the first and second world wars, over the last 80 years, the surviving members of the human race have meticulously risen: some to fly flags of superpowers of the East and West.
The realisation of World War III, though hypothetical, whether fully blown or piecemeal, shall involve all the great powers, like its two predecessors and the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction, thereby surpassing all prior conflicts in scale, devastation, and loss of life.
The uniqueness of nuclear weapons is that they can totally annihilate human life, including through climatic and geological chain reactions. Historically, World War I happened through an escalating crisis; World War II happened through deliberate action. World War II shall happen through an escalating crisis and deliberate actions.
A full-scale nuclear war between, say, the US and Russia or China, releasing over 150 Tg of stratospheric soot, could indirectly kill more than five billion people by starvation during the ensuing nuclear winter. More than two billion people could die by starvation from a smaller-scale (5–47 Tg) nuclear war between say, India and Pakistan.
Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, could hypothetically generate risk in the decades ahead. Cyber warfare, the exploitation of technology by a nation-state or international organisation to attack and destroy the opposing nation’s information networks and computers, is increasing the potential of a cyber-World War III. In the words of Zimbabwean songbird Oliver Mtukudzi”s epic song “Todi” (What shall we do?): what can humanity do to avert its potential extinction/doomsday?
One morning a man took a morning walk on the seashore. To his amazement, millions of turtles washed onto the beach sand overnight were struggling to get back to the sea which had receded. He started the task: picking one by one and throwing back to the sea waters. Another man passed by and laughed at him, saying, “What a waste of time and effort…don’t you see they are in their millions!’’ He replied him: “I know…I am just making my contribution.”
Therefore, each one of us, as a member of the human race, is called upon to make our small contribution towards global peace, despite the glaringly daunting task, to forestall humanity’s race to extinction.
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Firstly, the development of powerful nuclear weapons is at an unprecedented pace and secondly, the geopolitical tensions, especially between major global powers, are at an all-time high. On January 3, 2026, the US carried out an operation in Venezuela, captured the country’s President Nicolás Maduro and detained him on US territory. Venezuela’s Vice President and world leaders have demanded for his immediate unconditional release. Will the US oblige?
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
The 12-day Israeli-Iran war started on June 13, 2025 and ended with a ceasefire. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is still ongoing-the historic August 2025 Alaska meeting between US and Russian presidents, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, was billed as a vital step towards peace in Ukraine.
The story of the human race is awash with conflicts galore. The last two world wars were triggered by not-so-large incidents to warrant full-scale devastating global wars at the beginning and mid-20th Century.
The mega question, therefore, is not when or how, but will humanity survive a full-scale third world war? From the ashes of the first and second world wars, over the last 80 years, the surviving members of the human race have meticulously risen: some to fly flags of superpowers of the East and West.
The realisation of World War III, though hypothetical, whether fully blown or piecemeal, shall involve all the great powers, like its two predecessors and the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction, thereby surpassing all prior conflicts in scale, devastation, and loss of life.
The uniqueness of nuclear weapons is that they can totally annihilate human life, including through climatic and geological chain reactions. Historically, World War I happened through an escalating crisis; World War II happened through deliberate action. World War II shall happen through an escalating crisis and deliberate actions.
A full-scale nuclear war between, say, the US and Russia or China, releasing over 150 Tg of stratospheric soot, could indirectly kill more than five billion people by starvation during the ensuing nuclear winter. More than two billion people could die by starvation from a smaller-scale (5–47 Tg) nuclear war between say, India and Pakistan.
Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, could hypothetically generate risk in the decades ahead. Cyber warfare, the exploitation of technology by a nation-state or international organisation to attack and destroy the opposing nation’s information networks and computers, is increasing the potential of a cyber-World War III. In the words of Zimbabwean songbird Oliver Mtukudzi”s epic song “Todi” (What shall we do?): what can humanity do to avert its potential extinction/doomsday?
One morning a man took a morning walk on the seashore. To his amazement, millions of turtles washed onto the beach sand overnight were struggling to get back to the sea which had receded. He started the task: picking one by one and throwing back to the sea waters. Another man passed by and laughed at him, saying, “What a waste of time and effort…don’t you see they are in their millions!’’ He replied him: “I know…I am just making my contribution.”
Therefore, each one of us, as a member of the human race, is called upon to make our small contribution towards global peace, despite the glaringly daunting task, to forestall humanity’s race to extinction.
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By Joseph Kiplagat