World War V Premise

"World War I (1914-1918) involved more countries and caused greater destruction than any other war except World War II (1939-1945). An assassin's bullets set off the war, and a system of military alliances (agreements) plunged the main European powers into the fight. Each side expected quick victory. But the war lasted four years and took the lives of nearly 10 million troops."

From 'World War I' by Edward M. Coffman, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of History, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia 2006.

"World War II (1939-1945) killed more people, destroyed more property, disrupted more lives, and probably had more far-reaching consequences than any other war in history. It brought about the downfall of Western Europe as the center of world power and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. The development of the atomic bomb during the war opened the nuclear age."

From 'World War II' by James L. Stokesbury, Ph.D., Author, Navy and Empire and A Short History of Air Power.
World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia 2006.

World War III – “Cold War is the term used to describe the intense rivalry that developed after World War II between groups of Communist and non-Communist nations. On one side were the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) and its Communist allies, often referred to as the Eastern bloc. On the other side were the United States and its democratic allies, usually referred to as the Western bloc. The struggle was called the Cold War because it did not actually lead to fighting, or "hot" war, on a wide scale.
The"

From 'Cold War' by Burton I. Kaufman, Ph.D., Professor of History, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia 2006.

World War IV - Crusade/Jihad Wars is the term I choose to apply to the continuing conflicts between east and west beginning when the "The Holocaust left the Jewish people wounded in spirit and greatly reduced in numbers. But out of the tragedy came a new determination to establish a Jewish state in Palestine. The Arabs there continued to oppose this plan, and violence often broke out between Arabs and Jews. In 1947, the United Nations recommended that Palestine be divided into Arab and Jewish states. The Jewish state, which called itself Israel, declared its independence on May 14, 1948. The next day, neighboring Arab countries invaded Israel. Israel defeated the invaders, and hundreds of thousands of Jews flocked to the Jewish state."

From 'Jews' by Elliot B. Lefkovitz, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of History, Loyola University and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies.
World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia 2006.

This series of conflicts extend through the Gulf War, 9/11, and the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. And the broader war against extremist Muslim terrorist zealots.

World War V - East vs. West Economic Wars is the term I choose to apply to the rapidly growing consequences of globalization, technology, history, politics and . . . outsourcing, American debt, energy crises, our broken borders, and environmental catastrophes. A scenario can more and more easily be made for a near future that is unpleasant for middle class Americans.

I don’t think of myself as an overly pessimistic person, but I do think that taking notice of the building of ominous storm clouds is prudent. In the interest of the nation, of the middle class, of our communities, of our families – or just in our own selfish self interest.

China and India are coming into their own and with their massive populations, overwhelming production of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians - technology allowing the normal arduous developmental stages of a society be leapfrogged in a single generation - and with $100 green laptops, hand cranked and wirelessly connected with the Internet – and with the advantage China has of a powerful non-democratic central government.

China with its centralized government can, in the context of rapid and phenomenally successful adoption of free market entrepreneurial models, affect social control via police power, censorship, travel control, population control, and massive public works. And with a growing military parity.

American middle class may see a reduction of quality of life, a sense of becoming a tier two county, and social upheavals as the pressure builds on one social group after another.


This blog is my effort to call attention to this issue – World War V