Has World War 4 started?

Victor

This isn't the most serious of threads, although it touches serious matters.

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." - Einstein

In looking for the above quote, I found the following.

http://www.rawstory.com/exclusives/steinberg/world_war_III_063005.htm

WORLD WAR III
The next war has already started

By John Steinberg | RAW STORY COLUMNIST

There is a famous quote from Albert Einstein about war. He said “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

I am considerably less qualified than Einstein to predict the weapons to be used in WWIII, but I am pretty sure of what it will be about, and who we will be fighting against. In fact, the war has already begun. The war is about oil, and our dance partner is China.

...

Now, it could be argued that WWIII has come and gone in the form of the Cold War. This is consistent with Einstein's theory (“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought"). Many millions of people died over a 50 year period in a world that the two sides tried to align to their own camps.

Now, people have been saying for some time that there has been a state of, not necessarily war, but certainly conflict between what I will loosely call the Arab world and the West.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0202/egypt.html

Three dead, 600 injured in Cairo violence
Last Updated: 02 February 2011 22:48

...

Thousands of the president's supporters surged into Tahrir Square, dismantling barricades set up by demonstrators.

Rival camps are reported to have fought hand to hand, and with sticks and stones.

:eek:

twinytwo

how was the cold war ww3? its was a who has the biggest dick compo between the russians and the yanks.

rednik

twinytwo wrote: »

how was the cold war ww3? its was a who has the biggest dick compo between the russians and the yanks.

USA had the biggest dick.

tricky D

twinytwo wrote: »

how was the cold war ww3? its was a who has the biggest dick compo between the russians and the yanks.

Well it was an almost worldwide load of proxy wars just with no direct action. Cuban Missile Crisis came close.

rednik wrote: »

Hi there!!

WW4 could be a combo of sticks and stones, oil and information.

ReacherCreature

tricky D wrote: »

Well it was an almost worldwide load of proxy wars just with no direct action. Cuban Missile Crisis came close.

Yup. Along with Taiwan in the 1950s. People today just don't realise how close the world came to be irrevocably changed.

Victor wrote: »

This isn't the most serious of threads, although it touches serious matters.

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." - Einstein

I really don't get why there's a wide use for that quote. If war did erupt (nuclear/conventional) there would still be some weapons around. This whole sticks and stones thing simply states that the world war would destroy every single firearm in every country. As well as this the war could be more conventional than nuclear. Although the context that Einstein was speaking in could have been in the post-WWII nuclear mania. It niggles me sometimes.

Manic Moran

tricky D wrote: »

Well it was an almost worldwide load of proxy wars just with no direct action. Cuban Missile Crisis came close.

Berlin came closer.



NTM

tricky D

Which time? There was a few crises there.

Anyway, they're just tanks.

Missiles >> tanks

/takes cover

the monk5845

Manic Moran wrote: »

Berlin came closer.



NTM

got to feel sorry for the guys in the wee wooden hut

Mr. Spock

Cold war wasn't a world war. Closest thing would have been when we went into Korea post WWII.

Victor

the monk5845 wrote: »

got to feel sorry for the guys in the wee wooden hut

Thats probably the last thing to be targeted in that photo and they have the jeep to escape in, if necessary.

While they may have communications in the hut, there is likely to be a back-up hut / building / bunker further back.

To be honest, the photo seems to be a bit of bravado. If they really wanted to defend it, they would have gone for dragon's teeth, anti-tank mines and chicanes.

helimachoptor

Chaps whats the back story to that particular picture?

ReacherCreature

helimachoptor wrote: »

Chaps whats the back story to that particular picture?

As far as I know it was during the Berlin Blockade? Tensions increased considerably as Stalin blocked access and cut off links. So hence the standoff.

Tenger

Victor wrote: »

To be honest, the photo seems to be a bit of bravado. If they really wanted to defend it, they would have gone for dragon's teeth, anti-tank mines and chicanes.

That is a pic of Checkpoint Charlie which was one of the few crossing points form West Berlin to East Berlin. (I think there were only 5-6). They (US or USSR) did not want to really defend the road as it was supposed to remain open.

For most of the Cold War if you had a pass you could pass over and back. Obviously East Germans were not given passes. This photo was at a time when tensions were very high, the Soviets moved tanks up to the checkpoint, the US responded in kind.

Yes it was bravado, as the Soviet tank regiments stationed around Berlin were more of a threat.


In terms of the Einstein quote: @ReacherCreature, don't take it too literally. He didn't mean that firearms would be destroyed/obsolete by WW IV. He meant that if a potential WWIII went fully nuclear then the human race would be reduced to the level of the Stone Age afterwards.

ReacherCreature

Tenger wrote: »

In terms of the Einstein quote: @ReacherCreature, don't take it too literally. He didn't mean that firearms would be destroyed/obsolete by WW IV. He meant that if a potential WWIII went fully nuclear then the human race would be reduced to the level of the Stone Age afterwards.

Ah yes I understand that but when the quote is thrown around the place in such a widespread use you begin to examine it literally.