Although history teaches many lessons, people often do not fully grasp the scale of events. Living through events, people do not realize what consequences they will lead to. Many years later, history evaluates those events.
The events happening in the world now are similar. Probably everyone is interested in one question: what era are we living in?
Is the world truly in a period of peace? Is such peace possible? Or is humanity in the midst of a new global confrontation? Is such a confrontation possible? Everywhere, everything is shrouded in uncertainties.
The concept of world war in history carries the meaning of bitterness, pain, loss, and ruins. In the classical sense, a world war means a global military confrontation involving numerous states located on different continents. Although these wars are fought on fronts, they fundamentally change economies, political systems, and people's way of life.
World wars change the world order. They destroy empires. They create new states. They alter the global balance of power. World wars kill millions of people.
Officially, two major world wars have occurred in history. The First World War, which began in 1914, and the Second World War, which began in 1939...
Both of these wars are remembered as the bloodiest events in human history.
However, the interesting point is that when these wars began, no one knew they were a “world war.”
How the First World War began...
In the summer of 1914, Europe experienced serious tension. Competition among states was increasing. Empires sought to strengthen themselves. The arms race was accelerating.
Europe was divided between two major military blocs. On one side were Germany and Austria-Hungary, and on the other side were France, Great Britain, and the Russian Empire.
The spark of the war occurred in Sarajevo, Bosnia. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist.
This event went down in history as the Sarajevo assassination. Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia. A few weeks later, war was declared.
Initially, this conflict appeared regional. As we noted above, no one even considered that a world war had begun. However, the system of military alliances expanded the war. Germany sided with Austria-Hungary. Russia declared mobilization to defend Serbia. France took Russia's side. Great Britain, in turn, joined the war against Germany.
Thus, within a few weeks, a large part of Europe was drawn into the war.
Later, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria also joined the war. The war spread to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Over 30 countries joined the First World War, and approximately 70 million people were mobilized.
This war was the first major war in human history where new technologies were widely used. Tanks were deployed on the battlefield for the first time. Poison gases were used. Aviation began to participate in combat operations.
Millions of people lost their lives on the fronts. Approximately 17 million people died as a result of the First World War. The European economy suffered a severe blow. Cities were destroyed, and states were paralyzed.
Four great empires were erased from the stage of history. The German Empire collapsed, the Austro-Hungarian Empire disintegrated. The Ottoman Empire fell, and the Russian Empire was overthrown by revolution.
And when the war ended in 1918, the world realized that what had happened was the First World War...
Second World War
When the First World War ended, many people thought that such a tragedy would never be repeated. However, for forgetful humanity, history decided otherwise.
In the 1930s, new political forces emerged in Europe. Nazism came to power in Germany. Adolf Hitler absolutely refused to accept the terms of the Treaty of Versailles; he wanted to strengthen Germany again.
With this ambition, on September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland. That date marked the beginning of the Second World War. But again, at that time, no one knew that this was the beginning of the Second World War.
A few days later, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. The war rapidly expanded. Germany occupied a large part of Europe.
In 1941, Germany attacked the Soviet Union. Japan and America also joined the war.
In total, the Second World War encompassed more than 60 countries. The war also spread to Europe, Africa, Asia, and the oceans. This war became the bloodiest war in human history up to that period.
Approximately 70–80 million people lost their lives. This war also demonstrated that technology had entered a new phase on the battlefield. Jet aircraft emerged, and radar technology was applied.
In 1945, the atomic bomb was used in combat for the first time. The USA dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This event brought an end to the war.
While the First World War is remembered for the disappearance of four great empires from the stage of history, after the Second World War, the global political system fundamentally changed. The USA and the Soviet Union emerged as superpowers.
The United Nations was established. The world was divided between two major blocs. Then the Soviet Union disintegrated. The process, observed with local wars, has not yet ended.
The Landscape of the Modern World
Now the world is once again experiencing an unstable period. The Middle East has been embroiled in wars for years. The Iraq War changed the face of the region, while Iraq itself virtually ceased to exist. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in the Syrian events. The confrontation between Israel and Palestine has reached its peak.
In 2020, the world faced a new crisis. The Coronavirus pandemic spread across the entire planet and dealt a severe blow to the global economy. Many analysts consider the pandemic an indicator of the global system's weakness. In fact, these were fragments of the Third World War and affected almost all countries of the world, all people.
On February 24, 2022, a large-scale war began between Russia and Ukraine with Russia's attack on Ukraine. This war shook Europe's security system. The USA and NATO countries openly support Ukraine. Russia, in turn, is experiencing an open geopolitical confrontation with the West. Therefore, it would be naive to consider this war a regional conflict. This is a new stage in the struggle of great powers.
Now, tension in the Middle East has also reached its highest point. We can even say it has overshadowed the Russia-Ukraine war. The confrontation between Iran and Israel has moved into a more open form. America, the Israel-Iran war has begun. Iran is being devastated by aerial strikes. Its leaders are being destroyed.
Iran, in turn, is targeting Israel and more than 11 countries with missile attacks. Various forces in the region are being drawn into this confrontation. This is the visible side of the issue; behind the curtain are all countries. No country in the world is immune from joining this war. It is a matter of time. A terrifying nightmare looms over the world.
Today's wars are different from previous ones. Now everything is done from the sky. Drone technology has become a key element of battles. Cyberattacks target state infrastructure more than bombs. Artificial intelligence is used in military strategies. Satellite technologies determine the fate of war. Information warfare also plays a significant role. Media and social networks have already become a part of geopolitics.
Has the Third World War begun?
This question has been raised more frequently in recent years. Some experts believe that the world has long entered a phase of global confrontation. Others, however, think that what is happening are still regional conflicts.
However, there is one truth. The world is becoming increasingly tense and dangerous. Blood is shed every day. Human death is like an ordinary way of life. The arms race is accelerating again. Geopolitical blockades are increasing, and economic wars are intensifying.
As seen from the First and Second World Wars, history shows that world wars do not begin suddenly; they gradually take shape.
In 1914, people did not immediately understand the scale of the war, and the same situation occurred in 1939.
Even if we don't want it, it seems that history is repeating itself. History is once again teaching a lesson to forgetful humanity.
World wars bring great destruction, ending the lives of millions of people. They destroy economies and fragment societies. The world we are in has once again reached complex stages. Conflicts are increasing, and tensions are deepening. Sometimes countries are drawn into war even though they initially had no such intention.
History has shown this repeatedly. Therefore, no country is immune from this process now either.
We do not want this to happen, but there is a bitter truth. Perhaps one day history books will describe the present era like this.
The Third World War has begun. And then humanity will only be able to say one sentence.
May your fate be blessed, world.
