Albert Einstein famously said: ”I know not with what weapons World War 3 will be fought, but World War 4 will be fought with sticks and stones.”
The world’s top four military powers—the US, Russia, China, and India—have enough nuclear weapons (and payload delivery capabilities) between them to end the world many times over.
The United Nations (UN) estimates place the total number of nuclear tests carried out worldwide at around 2000 and the total number of nuclear weapons at roughly 22,000—enough to wipe out all life on Earth 55 times over!
You read that correctly, the world’s nuclear-armed countries have enough nuclear weapons to destroy 55 planet Earths.
Tensions are already escalating on multiple fronts, from the South China Sea to Eastern Europe, and most recently in the Middle East between Israel and Iran.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told the West last month that Russia was technically ready for nuclear war and that if the US sent troops to Ukraine, it would be considered a significant escalation of the conflict, and satellites have confirmed significant movement in Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
During testing, Russia’s Tsar bomber had its capacity reduced from 100 megatons to 50 megatons for safety reasons.
The detonation of this bomb was 1570 times more powerful than the combined impact of the two bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. It was ten times more powerful than all the bombs that exploded during the entirety of World War II.
All it could take is one ill-advised move or an accident to start a full-blown world war, with many experts already fearing the worst.
If any side resorts to nuclear weapons as a first strike or defensive measure, make no mistake; other sides will strike back, and this escalation could result in weapons of mass destruction being unleashed at unprecedented levels.
For a country like Fiji, we don’t have much bearing on the affairs of the world and can only pray for the best, and just as with climate change, we would be victims of the sinister actions of other bigger nations.
The impact of nuclear weapons
World War III could, in all likelihood, be the end of life as we know it.
The end of the global network is intertwined with luxuries like the internet and travel that we have grown accustomed to.
When a nuclear bomb explodes, it creates a powerful shockwave that can destroy buildings and infrastructure and instantly vaporize people nearby.
This blast can cause serious injuries or even death. But what’s even worse is what comes after: the radioactive fallout.
After the explosion, radioactive dust and particles are spread into the air. This forms a dangerous cloud called nuclear fallout.
This fallout can make the air, water, and soil poisonous.
It can make people sick with radiation sickness, cancer, and other diseases for a long time.
The affected area might be unsafe to live in for many years.
It’s a scary situation that we pray never eventuates.
Let’s also not forget that biological and chemical weapons have the potential to wipe out humanity in addition to nuclear weapons (remember COVID-19?).
It is naïve to believe that humans will exist on Earth forever.
In reality, random events or other terrible catastrophes have the potential to wipe out humanity as well.
Throughout biological and human evolution, there have already been multiple crises, and some human species — like the Neanderthals — have gone extinct.
Are we ready for World War III?
But even though this is a very real threat, it seems like Fiji and many other countries aren’t doing much to prepare for it.
We urgently need plans and measures to protect our people and reduce the damage if a nuclear war does happen. Even though we’re small compared to big countries, we’ll still feel the effects of a nuclear bomb. We can’t ignore this danger.
Countries must establish emergency response plans and evacuation procedures.
People need to know what to do in case of a nuclear attack, including seeking shelter in sturdy buildings, staying indoors to avoid radiation exposure, and following government instructions for evacuation if necessary.
Most countries have such protocols to guide the government, emergency response and security forces, and citizens on how to best increase their chances of survival.
What should we be doing?
The public must be aware of what to do if there is a nuclear war. This is key to minimising casualties and panic should this ever happen.
Public education campaigns to raise awareness about nuclear risks, emergency procedures, and safety precautions should be a regular exercise at the primary school level.
Establishing reliable early warning systems to detect and alert authorities to incoming nuclear threats and subsequent alerts to citizens should be up and running and tested regularly, similar to our tsunami sirens.
Developing comprehensive national emergency response plans at national, regional, and local levels to co-ordinate evacuation procedures, medical assistance, and disaster relief efforts is critical.
These plans should involve government agencies, military forces, emergency services, and NGOs.
Most importantly, we must build, identify, and designate fallout shelters and safe havens where people can seek refuge from nuclear fallout and radiation.
Other things to consider are guiding protective measures such as sheltering in place, using radiation-blocking materials, distributing potassium iodide tablets to prevent thyroid damage, and putting in place procedures to guarantee the continuation of vital services and government operations in the event of a nuclear attack to preserve governance and decision-making capacities and provide co-ordinated relief to those affected.
This article is not meant to alarm anyone; it is meant to make readers aware of the very real possibility of World War III and the possible use of nuclear weapons.
As a country, we must be prepared for anything and protect ourselves and our citizens.
Until next week, stay safe and take care!
- ARNOLD CHANEL is an investor and business executive with years of tech expertise. He can be contacted on ceo@vanguardtech.pro. The views expressed in this article are his and not of this newspaper.
