World War III

World War III (also WWIII, or the Third World War) denotes a hypothetical successor to World War II (1939–1945) that would be on a global scale, with common speculation that it would likely be nuclear and devastating in nature. This war is anticipated and planned for by military and civil authorities, and explored in fiction in many

countries. Concepts ranged from limited use of atomic weapons, to destruction of the planet. With the development of the arms race, before the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold War, an apocalyptic war between the United States and the Soviet Union was considered plausible. The Doomsday Clock has served as a symbol of historic World War III close calls since the Truman Doctrine went into effect in 1947. The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 is generally thought to be the historical point at which the risk of World War III was closest. On June 12 to June 26, 1999 Russian and NATO forces had a standoff over the Pristina Airport in Kosovo. At this time one British general said "I'm not going to start the Third World War for you". The English term "World War" has only seen widespread use during one conflict—World War II. The German biologist and