World War Three: Two and a Half Minutes to Midnight

World War Three: Two and a Half Minutes to Midnight

2017, Military and War  -   13 Comments
6.50
12345678910
Ratings: 6.50/10 from 60 users.

In the more than seven decades that have elapsed since the Second World War, weapons of mass destruction have become more lethal and tensions between feuding countries more strained and consequential. Many experts speculate that a third global conflict would resemble nothing short of Armageddon. World War Three: Two and a Half Minutes to Midnight explores this frightening possibility.

The threat of a third world war has lingered in our consciousness for some time. The film traces a series of historical milestones that have further stoked these fears, including the birth of the Cold War, the introduction of the nuclear arms race and other events leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since that time, faulty nuclear detection technologies and careless human errors have resulted in a number of close calls.

It regardless of the potential for catastrophic mishaps, the promise of mutually assured destruction has long served as the ultimate deterrent to full fledged nuclear conflict. But that dynamic could be changing as more unpredictable players volley for their own slice of the nuclear pie. In the film's view, the building blocks are snapping into place to ensure a world war far more devastating than the last two combined.

The centerpiece of the film is an intensely detailed nightmare scenario of global nuclear holocaust. The first missile strikes would launch by sea. Even the swiftest course of retaliation would arrive too late as hundreds of millions would perish within hours, many more would be wounded beyond repair, and future generations would be left to deal with the grotesque consequences of ever-present fallout. Global temperatures would drop rapidly, and the Earth's blankets of vegetation would wither and die.

This could become our new reality with a single push of a button.

Threats to the longevity of our species aren't limited to nuclear disaster. The filmmakers examine the possibility of biochemical and cyberspace warfare as well. These instances might be far less bombastic than a missile blast, but they are no less crippling.

Well researched and scarily relevant, World War Three: Two and a Half Minutes to Midnight delivers the ultimate cautionary tale.

More great documentaries

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

13 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Bradley Geyer
Bradley Geyer
4 years ago

Israel attacking Iraq was a war crime. This film is biased. Israel is not above the law.

gg boi
gg boi
4 years ago

This documentary did not age well

Glenn
Glenn
5 years ago

We tend to keep forgetting our mistakes from the past, the corruption of power and the abuse of greed are merely 2 of our vast array of faults. Pray for Peace for the future .

thomas
thomas
6 years ago

Peter: Well,,,written,,,post faggot

Micheal D Nealy
Micheal D Nealy
6 years ago

Yea the button is a metaphor. The Cliff notes are something like this. the POTUS uses a code that notifies the Dept of defense he wants a nuclear strike. The Military needs verification from the Sec of Defense that it is a lawful order. The Military and POTUS discuss options. IN an emergency, this could go as quickly as five minutes since parties would be privy to the situation and it would not be a surprise.

Piki Verschueren
Piki Verschueren
6 years ago

Einstein was consistently baffled by human stupidity around him as well as what he saw around the world. Thank you for this docu.

Joe Torres
Joe Torres
6 years ago

You folks are doing a great job and don't let anyone discourage or put you down. Keep those docs coming, I love them. Thanks.

Peter
Peter
6 years ago

he's mentally I'll too,,, and nobody tolled him that ,,,

Nick
Nick
6 years ago

You tell Martin TDF

Mike
Mike
6 years ago

We think droppjng tactical nuke from stealth bombers will take them out. I doubt they can distroy all N Koreas nukes. Who gets N K first nuke? SK. Japan? Hawaii? Washington state? Calif?

Martin Hedington
Martin Hedington
6 years ago

Reading "Single push of a button" in the write-up, (which has been proven a complete fallacy), then hearing an obviously adolescent voice reading a 15,000 text as 15 hundred, convinced me within a minute or so that this video is a complete and utter waste of time. Top Documentary Films, you've really embarrassed yourselves with this garbage.

Ilija
Ilija
6 years ago

Donald is a businessman. He knows that total destruction is bad for business. Now that he's a politician, he also knows that fear of total destruction is good both for business and strengthening one's political position. Posturing against an invented "enemy" is the way to instill fear.

C'mon guys, it's all theatre for the masses. They're colluding with each other.