The Next Big Conflict…

“How Will World War III Start?”

I am fighting the curiosity to read the other answers before I compose my own; there are times when I really don’t want to know what other people will say so that it doesn’t influence my own response.

So…

Man, this is a depressing-assed question. Not because of any other fact than I could easily see it being played out in my lifetime… and THAT is something all of us could go without experiencing.

The Third World War could start in several ways:

Russian invasion of any of the Baltic States.

I have no idea why Russia would do such a thing; then again, have a hard time trying to understand the logic of my 12-year-old son when it comes to common sense things like hygiene and organization. Any outright belligerence from Russia in the region may lead to a response from NATO, and whether or not Russia would be considered as “provoked” into an action of that magnitude by the buildup of defensive forces is something that future historians – if any are left – to debate.

Need proof? Open any history book and consider how alliances played a vital role in just about every global conflict in the last two centuries.

Undeniable cyber/EMP attack on a nation’s critical infrastructure.

I cringe with the understanding that the comment section may devolve into running discussions about “Russian influence in our elections.” Yeah. Ok. I’m talking about critical infrastructure like power grids, finance, and transportation; things that will shut shit down and cause real chaos, like Google being unresponsive, “404 Not Found” for bank statements, and the bulk shipments of toilet paper not showing up at your door.

The cyber attack on Maersk last year should be a good indication of where I’m going with that.

The closure of the South China Sea by the People’s Republic of China.

Again, this may be a bit unrealistic: the biggest loser in disrupting trade in this area would be the PRC, with $1.4 trillion at stake. However, this goes back to my inability to understand the logic (or lack of) when it comes to geopolitical power plays. From a layman’s perspective, it doesn’t take much to equate regional tensions + international trade with a pessimistic outlook.

Global economic/agricultural meltdown.

Humans need money and food – the latter more than the former, to most. Any large-scale shift in production/consumption that exceeds domestic capabilities may inevitably lead to seeking external sources, whether those closest in need are willing to share or not. This would be low on my list of likely causes of the next global war, but it’s still a possibility.

How will World War III start?

Who knows? There are a lot of potential triggers and major actors on the stage with more restraint than aggression, but none of that really matters – we are content with the daily distractions of inconsequence. By the time we get to the point where such a conflict suddenly becomes noticeable and/or inevitable, it just may be too late to do anything about it.

Perhaps, then, I could place the biggest “cause” of the next conflict as the media as well as the apathy of the various nations…