World War III (Ivan's World War III)

World War III (often abbreviated to WWIII or WW3), also known as the Third World War, was a global war that lasted from 2018 to 2024, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries — including most of the great powers. In spite of historical predictions, World War III involved much less causalities than its two predecessors. In a state of total war, the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources.

Also, unlike the two previous world wars, the fighting occurred as a result of individual conflicts, consequently while loose alliances were formed, World War III was not fought by global alliances (such as the Triple Entente and Triple Alliance of World War I and the Allies and Axis of World War II).

Kim Jung-un finally began his "Conquest of the East", similar to the Japanese Empire's attempt in World War II, by invading South Korea, Japan, China and Russia. Despite being eventually defeated, the North Koreans were able to successfully conquer large swaths of Japanese, South Korean, Chinese and Russian territory.

World War III also saw the pioneering of cyber warfare as a tactic used by militaries, and unlike both previous world wars, the United States did not escape the fighting, and saw the largest military invasion of its homeland ever since the Japanese invasions of its Pacific territories in 1941, via the Second Mexican-American War.

The war also produced significant border changes, the largest of the 21st century. It involved the secession of several territories and states of superpowers into independent republics, such as Tibet and Xinjiang from China, and Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama from the United States. The Republic of Kashmir was formed, when Kashmir nationalists battled both Pakistani and Indian forces.

However, in spite of territorial losses for China and the United States, both made gains as well. China got to hold a portion of the former North Korea, and incorporate it as the Korean Autonomous Region, Puerto Rico achieved statehood, as well as the former Mexican state of Chihuahua and the American-controlled former North Korea, which became American Korea. Known as the "Triple Trade-off", the acquisition of Puerto Rico, Chihuahua and American Korea as U.S. states made up for losing Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama to independence. Russia also shared the former North Korea, and established the Korean Autonomous Oblast.

After Saudi Arabia's invasion of Syria and Iran collapsed, it was back-invaded by Iranian, Syrian and Jordanian forces, under Russian and Chinese support. Saudi Arabia collapsed into puppet states controlled by the victors.

Afterward, the Arab-Iranian coalition initiated the Palestine Offensive, in which they successfully drove Israeli forces out of the territories controlled by the Palestinian National Authority. They continued with the East Jerusalem Offensive, and despite sustaining heavy casualties by combat-ready Israelis, the Arab-Iranian coalition successfully drove Israeli forces out of East Jerusalem, leading to the total Partition of Jerusalem. East Jerusalem became proclaimed the capital of the Palestine Republic.

Asia-Pacific Theater
In 2018, North Korea invades South Korea, and pushes the South Korean forces 150 km south of the 39th Parallel. In 2019, North Korea continues its conquest by invading western Japan, followed by a Chinese invasion from the north two months later, and divided the western Japanese Archipelago under North Korean and Chinese zones. In 2020, however, the North Koreans launched their invasion of China, by driving Chinese forces out of Eastern Japan, and completely pushing deep into inland China, reaching all the way into Kaifeng.

In 2021, with the conclusion of the Second Mexican-American War and the following American victory, the U.S. Congress approves for mass military aid toward South Korea and Japan. American forces arrive in western Japan and South Korea via the Jeju Strait and began the offensives to end the North Korean conquest.

In 2022, just as the Turkish invasion of Russia in the west concludes, the North Koreans begin their invasion of Russia. The invasion fails, as the Russians turn the cyber warfare tactic against the North Koreans.

In 2023, the Russians drive out the North Koreans, and step onto Chinese soil. They form a joint force with the Chinese to drove the North Koreans back to their pre-2020 borders. That same year, the Indonesian government invades Papua as a result of Papuan separatists. The Papuan government asks the Australian, British and American forces for help. The United States and Australian and British Parliaments approve, and defeats the Indonesian forces. Indonesian military is pushed back east, not wanting to lose anymore territory, the government in Jakarta sues for peace and cedes all of its New Guinea territory, including West Papua, to independence. Australian, American and British colonies are established in Papua. Papua is merged with Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of New Guinea is established. Unfortunately, Papuan culture suffers the same persecution as the Indonesian regime before it as New Guinean society becomes ruled by English Christians.

In 2024, the joint Chinese-Russian force, and joint American-South Korean forces meet in Pyongyang. The victory over North Korea is sealed, the former North Korea is divided into South Korean, Chinese, Russian and American-controlled zones. South Korea gets the biggest gain of former North Korean land, and Pyongyang is fully given to South Korean control.

In addition, China cedes Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet to independence as a result of the 2022 Hohhot Accord, in which the Chinese government accepted a deal from separatist militias in those three regions to grant the three independence if they fought alongside the Chinese military to fight the North Koreans. The one-year transition phase began, as the regions became trust territories of China and on November 3, 2025, the Chinese government officially announced that all of its control of the three regions had ended, and the Chinese flag was lowered from the capitols of the three regions. While Xinjiang and Tibet became independent republics, Inner Mongolia merged with Mongolia or "Outer Mongolia", resulting in the Unification of Mongolia - an event similar to the 1991 Re-Unification of Germany. In 2018, Russia discovered and learned of NATO missiles being stationed in eastern Poland and northern Ukraine.

European Theater
The Russian government deemed this an act of aggression, and immediately approved the use of military action to get NATO forces out of eastern Poland. The Belarusian government in addition also felt threatened.

This would result in the 2018 Russo-Polish War, in which the Union State went to an all-out war with Polish and Ukrainian forces, backed by NATO in eastern Poland and northern Ukraine. With the victory of the Union State over NATO forces, the Republic of East Poland was established as a constituent republic of Russia, and northern Ukraine became part of Belarus.

The Turkish government is faced with two options: invade Syria from the north, or Russia from the south. The Turkish government chooses to "defeat and kill the source", and chooses to invade Russia.

Georgia aids the Turks. However, Armenia resists. Polish forces use this as an opportunity to take back eastern Poland, and attack Russian forces in the Republic of East Poland. The Scandinavian military uses the Turkish invasion as an opportunity to take back Karelia, and crosses into the Republic of Karelia virtually unopposed. Upon reaching Russia's southern regions, the Turks receive aid from Chechen and Caucasian Muslim rebels. Despite some success, the Turkish invasion collapses in 2022. The Scandinavian and Polish attacks also collapse as both armies are stunned by Russia's success, seeing Russia as a heavily outnumbered shell of its former self standing up against a heavily advantaged NATO. The Nordic Council of Scandinavia orders forces to retreat from Karelia.

The pro-NATO Georgian government flees to exile, and the Republic of Georgia becomes a Russian republic. The Republic of Cappadocia becomes established as a Russian puppet state.

Germany, now at this point ruled under a far-right neo-Nazi regime, and Israel also get into a near-confrontation as Jews are deported, though peacefully, from Germany. However, Germany decides not to go to war with an ally of the United States, not wanting another division. As a result, Germany does not see any significant fighting in World War III, and avoids most of the atrocities.

However, Spain and France saw bloody fighting, with Spain fighting Catalonian separatists and both nations fighting Basque separatists. Under foreign pressure, as well as a severely weakened economy and infrastructure in Spain, France and Spain withdraw their forces, Catalonia becomes independent, the Basque Country is united and is followed by independence. Galicia and Valencia soon secede as well.

Middle Eastern Theater
Saudi Arabia begins its invasion of Persia, Syria and Iraq.

The United States is forced to pull all of its economic resources into defeating the Mexican invasion. As a result, this began the Israeli military's decline as an invincible force. In 2022, with Trump adopting an isolationist policy, the Israeli military is severely weakened by losing the United States, its biggest ally as well as Germany (now under an anti-Jewish regime), which had been one of its most important military suppliers.

This leads the Persian, Syrian, Egyptian, Iraqi forces to initiate the Palestine Offensive, coinciding with the 2022 Intifada. Forming the Arab-Persian Coalition, the military coalition successfully frees the entire West Bank and all the lands controlled by the Palestinian National Authority from Israeli military occupation. They then follow up with the successful East Jerusalem and Nazareth Offensives, placing East Jerusalem, Afula and Nazareth under full Palestinian control.