WWIII breaks out, why and what are the sides?

[Dan the Roman]

This is a ridiculous thread in the sense that it assumes a global war when even WWII initially only really involved four major countries(Britain, Germany, Poland, and France).

Realistically, if a major war were to break out, I would expect it to start as Sino-Indian conflict, likely triggered by a massive Chinese crackdown in Tibet that sent hundreds of thousands of refugees into India who would then launch terrorist attacks on Chinese forces. China would accuse India of harboring them, India would accuse China of creating a crisis, Chinese forces would cross the border to punish Tibetan guerrillas, clash with Indian troops and war would result. Pakistan would probably get dragged in, but that's likely the limit. I just can't see the US taking sides, and Russia is too far off though would likely nominally back one side.

The real problem with such a scenario is there are so many points where the international community would try to stop it that it would take a near suicidal leadership on at least one side to start a major war.

[Dan the Roman]

This is a ridiculous thread in the sense that it assumes a global war when even WWII initially only really involved four major countries(Britain, Germany, Poland, and France).

Realistically, if a major war were to break out, I would expect it to start as Sino-Indian conflict, likely triggered by a massive Chinese crackdown in Tibet that sent hundreds of thousands of refugees into India who would then launch terrorist attacks on Chinese forces. China would accuse India of harboring them, India would accuse China of creating a crisis, Chinese forces would cross the border to punish Tibetan guerrillas, clash with Indian troops and war would result. Pakistan would probably get dragged in, but that's likely the limit. I just can't see the US taking sides, and Russia is too far off though would likely nominally back one side.

The real problem with such a scenario is there are so many points where the international community would try to stop it that it would take a near suicidal leadership on at least one side to start a major war.

I seriously doubt China is going to attempt a ground war over the Himalayas. I can see them invading parts of the Himalayas( where the insurgents would be anyways), but I don't see them invading the plains. The few passes that exist in the Himalayas are all over 14,000 feet high, not very easy to get equipment and personnel through. China could have done this back in 1962 and they didn't, and the Indian army was way weaker back then. If there is a conflict between India and China it will remain confined to the mountains. In addition trade between both countries is growing enormously. I doubt they would go to war over petty reasons.

I agree which is why I think it would take stupidity/insanity on one or both sides but that is usually the case with great powers. Germany had zero reason to go to war in 1939, and did anyway.