World War III

World War III was a global, and ultimately nuclear, conflict on Earth in the mid-21st century. Over 600 million people died in the war, and human civilization nearly collapsed, resulting in a period known as "the post-atomic horror" that lasted into the early 22nd century. 

History
The historians of later centuries have varying opinions on the exact nature of the war and its origins. Some link it to the Eugenics Wars of the late 20th century, and while the seeds of the conflict may have been planted then, most scholars agree it really began with Colonel Philip Green's ecoterrorism in 2026 which resulted in 37 million deaths. Green and his troops executed hundreds of thousands of people with "impurities" like radiation sickness, claiming that their deaths were for the good of future generations. 

Among the other parties in the conflict were the Eastern Coalition ("ECON"), which fought against the United States of America and the European Union. Various factions, including Green's cadre and possibly the ECON, used drugs to control their military. (,, novel: Federation)

Even during this period of global turmoil, the New United Nations worked for peace, and in 2036 declared that "no human being would be held accountable for the crimes of their race or forebearers." Unfortunately, the group's efforts met with failure. 

World War III reached its peak on 1 May 2053, when nuclear weapons were detonated over London, New York City, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Mecca, Beijing and other cities. Asia was hit hardest, followed by the United States. Nearly half a billion people died in the initial blasts, Washington, DC and the surrounding three states were "blown off the map," and Earth was plunged into a nuclear winter that would last for the next decade. The post-atomic horror that followed severely destabilized global civilization; terrorist organizations and rogue states often detonated small-scale "suitcase nukes," while toxins and biogenic weapons were released. The drug-addled soldiers were often sacrificed in conventional battles on the ground after much of the planetary computer systems failed; numerous small-scale conflicts created chaos throughout the globe as warlords fought over the scraps of civilization. The economy of the United States was devastated, and most of its citizens were reduced to living conditions worse than the Great Depression of the 1930s. (, The Lost Era novel: The Sundered)

When the extent of the devastation became clear, the remaining governments gathered in San Francisco to sign a peace accord. Even so, there were those who wished to keep fighting, like Colonel Green and others of his ilk. After Green's death, one of his lieutenants, Colonel Adrik Thorsen would continue the terrorist strikes in the name of the Optimum Movement, and by the 2070s, would gain control of Great Britain. (, novel: Federation)

Aftermath, First Contact, and the Legacy of WWIII
First Contact with the Vulcans in 2063 inspired new hope in humanity and aided in recovery from the war's effects in some areas. Nonetheless, the post-atomic horror raged on in Asia, the Middle East, and the "new third world" sunk into total lawlessness. According to Jean-Luc Picard, these areas would remain in "chaos" well into the early 22nd century. 

Gradually, as the post-atomic horror declined, new attempts at unified global alliances sprung up, including the European Hegemony in 2126. These alliances would eventually form the genesis of the United Earth in 2150. (

World War III's legacy was far reaching, and continued to be felt a hundred years later. The war eventually became a popular subject in the recovered film industry. The philosophy of Neo-Transcendentalism was founded to advocate a return to a "simpler life" in response to the devastation advanced technology had brought humanity. Other less benign schools of thought emerged, including the xenophobia exemplified by the Back-to-Earth movement and its more aggressive "cousin" Terra Prime, an outgrowth of Green and Thorsen's "Optimum Philosophy." (,, Star Trek novels: Final Frontier, Federation)

Ultimately, World War III and first contact marked a turning point for humanity. In the aftermath, mankind came together, putting aside the differences of race and culture, and unified in a way never before seen. 

Fanon
During the three decades between "Space Seed" and Star Trek: First Contact'', the nature of Earth's third world war was one of the hot topics of fan debate. Many different theories sprang up, especially once "Encounter at Farpoint" introduced the concept of the post-atomic horror. Many different works of fan fiction offer different interpretations of the war, and even since the "clarification" of First Contact, these differences persist. Different fan continuities will be detailed here.''

World War III had its genesis in the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s, through the following "dark age of genetics" and the "Confederation Era" of the 2020s. In addition to Col. Green and the Optimum Movement, the Macronesian Alliance became a prime mover in World War III during the 2030s, initiating a conflict with the Chaodai Confederation that gave rise to the Eastern Coalition in the early 2040s.

Despite the cease fire signed after the bombs fell in 2053, the war did not truly end until 2080 with the collapse of the Optimum Republic of Great Britain and other fascist states.