Editing World War III (section)

==Extended usage of the term <span class="anchor" id="WW4"></span>==
<!-- WW4: World War IV links here -->

===Cold War===
{{Main|Cold War}}
[[File:World nuclear weapons.png|thumb|Large [[nuclear weapons]] stockpile with global range (dark blue), smaller stockpile with global range (medium blue), smaller stockpile with regional range (light blue)]]

As Soviet-American relations grew tense in the post-World War{{nbsp}}II period, the fear that the tension could escalate into World War{{nbsp}}III was ever-present. A [[Gallup poll]] in December 1950 found that more than half of Americans considered World War{{nbsp}}III to have already started.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Reed |first1=Thomas C. |author-link1=Thomas C. Reed |title=At the Abyss: An Insider's History of the Cold War |date=2004 |publisher=[[Presidio Press]] |isbn=0-89141-837-7 |page=41 |lccn=2004098248 |chapter=3. The Paparazzi Pilots|title-link=At the Abyss: An Insider's History of the Cold War }} (via [https://books.google.com/books?id=69Vvboox1JcC&pg=PA41 Google Books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418181819/https://books.google.com/books?id=69Vvboox1JcC&pg=PA41 |date=18 April 2021 }})</ref>

In 2004, commentator [[Norman Podhoretz]] proposed that the [[Cold War]], lasting from the surrender of the [[Axis powers]] until the [[fall of the Berlin Wall]], might rightly be called World War{{nbsp}}III. By Podhoretz's reckoning, "World War{{nbsp}}IV" would be the global campaign against [[Islamofascism]].<ref name="Podhoretz-2004">{{cite magazine |last1=Podhoretz |first1=Norman |author-link1=Norman Podhoretz |title=World War IV: How It Started, What It Means, and Why We Have to Win |url=https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/world-war-iv-how-it-started-what-it-means-and-why-we-have-to-win/ |magazine=[[Commentary (magazine)|Commentary]] |access-date=14 June 2019 |date=September 2004 |volume=118 |issue=2 |pages=17+ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520222750/https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/world-war-iv-how-it-started-what-it-means-and-why-we-have-to-win/ |archive-date=20 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Buckley |first1=William F. Jr. |author-link1=William F. Buckley Jr. |title=World War IV? |journal=[[National Review]] |date=22 October 2007 |volume=59 |issue=19 |page=62 |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2007/09/world-war-iv-william-f-buckley-jr/ |access-date=14 June 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806022343/https://www.nationalreview.com/2007/09/world-war-iv-william-f-buckley-jr/ |url-status=live }} (published online 6 September 2007)</ref>

Still, the majority of historians would seem to hold that World War{{nbsp}}III would necessarily have to be a worldwide "war in which large forces from many countries fought"<ref>[http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/world-war Definition of "World War": Cambridge Dictionary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422131655/http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/world-war |date=22 April 2017 }} Cambridge University Press. Downloaded 21 April 2017.</ref> and a war that "involves most of the principal nations of the world".<ref>[http://www.dictionary.com/browse/world-war Definition of "World War": Random House] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422211923/http://www.dictionary.com/browse/world-war |date=22 April 2017 }} Random House/ Dictionary.com. 2017. Downloaded 21 April 2017.</ref> The Cold War received its name from the lack of action taken from both sides. The lack of action was out of fear that a nuclear war would possibly destroy humanity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American History: The Cold War |url=https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/american-history-the-cold-war-130292758/116228.html |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=VOA |date=21 September 2011 |language=en |archive-date=1 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201012146/https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/american-history-the-cold-war-130292758/116228.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In his book ''Secret Weapons of the Cold War'', Bill Yenne concludes that the military [[Superpower]] standoff from the 1940s through to 1991, was not World War{{nbsp}}III.<ref>Yenne, Bill (2005). ''Secret Weapons of the Cold War.'' Berkly Book, New York</ref>

===War on terror===
{{Main|War on terror|List of modern conflicts in the Middle East}}
[[File:WTC smoking on 9-11.jpeg|thumb|[[September 11 attacks]]]]

The "[[war on terror]]" that began with the [[September 11 attacks]] has been claimed by some to be World War III<ref>{{Cite web |last=Micallef |first=Joseph V. |date=24 January 2017 |title=Are We Already Fighting World War III? |url=http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/01/24/are-we-already-fighting-world-war-iii.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416051031/http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/01/24/are-we-already-fighting-world-war-iii.html |archive-date=16 April 2017 |access-date=15 April 2017 |website=[[Military.com]]}}</ref> or sometimes World War IV<ref name="Podhoretz-2004"/><ref>{{cite news |author1=Charles Feldman |author2=Stan Wilson |name-list-style=amp |date=3 April 2003 |title=Ex-CIA director: U.S. faces 'World War IV' |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/04/03/sprj.irq.woolsey.world.war/ |archive-url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/04/03/sprj.irq.woolsey.world.war/ |archive-date=11 August 2024 |publisher=CNN}}<br />{{cite news |last=Coman |first=Julian |date=13 April 2003 |title='We want them to be nervous' (That means you Ali, Bashar and Kim) |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/1427428/We-want-them-to-be-nervous-That-means-you-Ali-Bashar-and-Kim.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/1427428/We-want-them-to-be-nervous-That-means-you-Ali-Bashar-and-Kim.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |access-date=9 November 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London}}{{cbignore}}<br />{{cite web |author=Elio A. Cohen |date=20 November 2001 |title=World War IV |url=http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=95001493 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040406043752/http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=95001493 |archive-date=6 April 2004 |access-date=9 November 2009 |website=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> (assuming the Cold War was World War III). Others have disparaged such claims as "distorting [[History of the United States|American history]]". While there is general agreement amongst historians regarding the definitions and extent of the first two world wars, namely due to the unmistakable global scale of aggression and self-destruction of these two wars, a few have claimed that a "World War" might now no longer require such worldwide and large-scale aggression and carnage. Still, such claims of a new "lower threshold of aggression", that might now be sufficient to qualify a war as a "World War" have not gained such widespread acceptance and support as the definitions of the first two world wars have received amongst historians.<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-op-beinart9dec09-story.html Is this really World War IV?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422135730/http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-op-beinart9dec09-story.html |date=22 April 2017 }} Los Angeles Times. By Peter Beinart. 9 December 2007. Downloaded 21 April 2017.</ref>

====War on the Islamic State====
{{Main|Islamic State|War against the Islamic State}}

On 1 February 2015, [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iraq)|Iraqi Foreign Minister]] [[Ibrahim al-Jaafari]] declared that the [[war against the Islamic State]] was effectively "World War{{nbsp}}III", due to the Islamic State's aims for a worldwide caliphate, and its success in spreading the conflict to multiple countries outside of the [[Levant]] region.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/video/2015/02/01/fight-against-islamic-state-is-world-war?videoId=363066236 "Fight against Islamic State is World War 3 – Iraqi foreign minister"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620212733/http://www.reuters.com/video/2015/02/01/fight-against-islamic-state-is-world-war?videoId=363066236 |date=20 June 2017 }} Reuters, video</ref> In response to the [[November 2015 Paris attacks]], [[King of Jordan]] [[Abdullah II of Jordan|Abdullah II]] stated "We are facing a Third World War [within [[Islam]]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/ISIS-Threat/Jordans-King-Abdullah-We-are-facing-a-Third-World-War-434408|title=Jordan's King Abdullah: We are facing a Third World War|date=17 November 2015|access-date=17 February 2016|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214091201/http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/ISIS-Threat/Jordans-King-Abdullah-We-are-facing-a-Third-World-War-434408|archive-date=14 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

In his [[2016 State of the Union Address|State of the Union Address]] on 12 January 2016, US President [[Barack Obama]] warned that news reports granting ISIL the supposed ability to foment a third World War might be excessive and irresponsible, stating that "as we focus on destroying ISIL, over-the-top claims that this is World War{{nbsp}}III just play into their hands. Masses of fighters on the back of pickup trucks and twisted souls plotting in apartments or garages pose an enormous danger to civilians and must be stopped. But they do not threaten our national existence."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Obama|first1=Barak|title=2016 State of the Union Address|url=https://medium.com/@WhiteHouse/president-obama-s-2016-state-of-the-union-address-7c06300f9726#.6rytyu7a2|website=The White House|publisher=government of the United States of America|access-date=9 February 2016|date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209085124/https://medium.com/@WhiteHouse/president-obama-s-2016-state-of-the-union-address-7c06300f9726#.6rytyu7a2|archive-date=9 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Multiple small wars as a "third war"===
In multiple recorded interviews under somewhat casual circumstances, comparing the conflagrations of World War{{nbsp}}I and{{nbsp}}II to the ongoing lower-intensity wars of the 21st century, [[Pope Francis]] has said, "The world is at war because it has lost the peace", and "perhaps one can speak of a third war, one fought piecemeal".<ref>[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/28/world/social-issues-world/pope-says-world-war-lost-peace-religion-not-blame/#.WJeFnes76rU Pope says 'world at war because it has lost peace' but religion not to blame] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206190926/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/28/world/social-issues-world/pope-says-world-war-lost-peace-religion-not-blame/#.WJeFnes76rU |date=6 February 2017 }} Japan Times. 28 July 2016. Downloaded 5 Feb.. 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29190890 Pope Francis warns on 'piecemeal World War III] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023121520/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29190890 |date=23 October 2018 }} BBC, 13 September 2014. Downloaded 15 January 2017.</ref>