Will World War III be between the U.S. and China?

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cancel2 2022

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Low, I would especially be interested in what you have to say about this article by Max Hastings. I was in Saigon earlier this year and I watched some protesters carrying banners denouncing China's intention to try and take over the Spratly Islands. Currently the Philippines, China and Vietnam have all got claims on the islands but China is acting like a big bully in the playground.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2066380/Will-World-War-III-U-S-China.html
 
No. I was actually having a rather long conversation about this the other night. China cannot back up their claim to the Spratlys, nor would it be smart for them to try. The only possible avenue of military expansion China has is S.E Asia or India.
 
I'd say the chances of WW3 declined, somewhat terminally, on August 6th 1945.

It's all about the regional war nowadays. World wars are, like, the olden days, Grandpa.
 
charver said:
I'd say the chances of WW3 declined, somewhat terminally, on August 6th 1945.

It's all about the regional war nowadays. World wars are, like, the olden days, Grandpa.
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you make a good point and the cold war seems to bolster this point. i don't know if i'm ready to agree to 'terminally', however, the chances are far less since the world has gained access to the nuclear weapon. i don't believe, however, that another world war is 'somewhat' terminal, both world wars were not predicted.
 
Eye said:
you make a good point and the cold war seems to bolster this point. i don't know if i'm ready to agree to 'terminally', however, the chances are far less since the world has gained access to the nuclear weapon. i don't believe, however, that another world war is 'somewhat' terminal, both world wars were not predicted.
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WWI was certainly very predictable with the GB vs. Germany arms race and the, rather polite, assignment of sides in the years preceding actual war.

In the same way WWII was a possibility, which became a probability due to some rather bad decision making.

As a race we're particularly stupid but, call me old fashioned, but i'm putting my trust in the theory of self preservation in this nuclear age.
 
Wow, pretty much the only inhabitants of the islands are military expeditions from people trying to claim it. They are ma
king quite a big deal about such a thing.
 
Emperor Septimius Severus said:
That's assuming either belligerents go nuclear, which is unlikely for a multitude of reasons.
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Well, if it's contained to Vietnam, China, and The Phillipines, it'd be a curb stomp. From American experiences in the region, it's unlikely that China could occupy and replace the government of either country. But it's not a war that the Phillipines or Vietnam could win. The most they could hope to do is strike hard enough that China decides this is all pointless and retreats, as happened in China's Vietname "war" in the late 70's. But the China of today is much stronger than the China of the 70's.
 
charver said:
WWI was certainly very predictable with the GB vs. Germany arms race and the, rather polite, assignment of sides in the years preceding actual war.

In the same way WWII was a possibility, which became a probability due to some rather bad decision making.

As a race we're particularly stupid but, call me old fashioned, but i'm putting my trust in the theory of self preservation in this nuclear age.
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you intertwine possibility with predictability. they are two very different concepts.

WWI was not predicted. and i'm not talking about just a few months prior, i'm talking about the same time frame tom is in the OP. i can't predict a train is going to run you over, but if i see you standing on the tracks whil[st]e a train is 1 second away from hitting you, then i can safely say, my prediction that you would get hit is spot on.
 
Eye said:
you intertwine possibility with predictability. they are two very different concepts.

WWI was not predicted. and i'm not talking about just a few months prior, i'm talking about the same time frame tom is in the OP. i can't predict a train is going to run you over, but if i see you standing on the tracks whil[st]e a train is 1 second away from hitting you, then i can safely say, my prediction that you would get hit is spot on.
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If you buy into the Fischer thesis then WWI was not only predicted but was the actual goal of Germany in the years preceding 1914.
 
Emperor Nero said:
Well, if it's contained to Vietnam, China, and The Phillipines, it'd be a curb stomp. From American experiences in the region, it's unlikely that China could occupy and replace the government of either country. But it's not a war that the Phillipines or Vietnam could win. The most they could hope to do is strike hard enough that China decides this is all pointless and retreats, as happened in China's Vietname "war" in the late 70's. But the China of today is much stronger than the China of the 70's.
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China is also far more contained, and far less experienced. They are completely unable to effect a claim on the Philippines so the only option would be a costly land invasion on Vietnam. We, America, wouldn't give a damn but China outsources a lot to Vietnam and also gets a good portion of its food there. China has no real option here.
 
Just the other day we were all treated to a history lesson by Professor Dixie...he informed us that the Soviet Union did not exist during WWII.

Maybe if WWIII starts, he will favor us with an update.
 
charver said:
If you buy into the Fischer thesis then WWI was not only predicted but was the actual goal of Germany in the years preceding 1914.
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Germany supposedly had very draconian goals for the war, that were incredibly imperialistic and exceeded even the Vienna convention. However, this may just be propoganda on the part of the allies in order to justify their draconian impositions on Germany at the end of the war. All I know is that it was the dumbest war in history.
 
\(())/ said:
Just the other day we were all treated to a history lesson by Professor Dixie...he informed us that the Soviet Union did not exist during WWII.

Maybe if WWIII starts, he will favor us with an update.
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I do not read Dixie's speed-induced ramblings. Care to post a link?
 
Emperor Nero said:
Germany supposedly had very draconian goals for the war, that were incredibly imperialistic and the exceeded even the Vienna convention. However, this may just be propoganda on the part of the allies in order to justify their draconian impositions on Germany at the end of the war. All I know is that it was the dumbest war in history.
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If they'd dropped their naval ambitions then there's a possibility that we'd have been more inclined to turn a blind eye to their lust for raping the French.

I'm going to state now that, given any future world war, i think the Germans should be on our side and the French can shack up with Italy.
 
charver said:
If they'd dropped their naval ambitions then there's a possibility that we'd have been more inclined to turn a blind eye to their lust for raping the French.

I'm going to state now that, given any future world war, i think the Germans should be on our side and the French can shack up with Italy.
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I'll take the French over the Germans any day.
 
Emperor Septimius Severus said:
I'll take the French over the Germans any day.
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Why? Since Napoleon the French have been massive pussies.

The Germans are sleeping giants, a war-like people cowed by the shame of their Nazi past. However, at heart they have the same genes as the English. All hail brer Angle and brer Saxon. A German will stand and a Frenchman will run. That, sir, is the honest truth and 30 years of football hooliganism has cemented my point.
 
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