World War III imminent, many Americans and Europeans fear: poll

YouGov found that among all nations surveyed, there was a "clear sense" that most people felt their country's militaries would not be sufficiently prepared to enter into a war.

Eighty years after VE-Day, which marked the formal Nazi surrender and the end of six years of war in Europe, many fear a third world war is imminent.

New YouGov polling conducted in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.S. shows that between 41 per cent and 55 per cent of respondents in each country think another world war is likely to occur within the next five to 10 years. Forty-five per cent of Americans hold the same view.

According to separate Ipsos data, 82 per cent of Canadians said they strongly agreed that the world had become more dangerous in 2024, a five-point decline from the previous year.

If another world war happens, YouGov says the majority (68 to 76 per cent) believe the conflict would involve nuclear weapons. Moreover, 57 to 73 per cent think that a third world war would result in a higher casualty count than previous global conflicts.

According to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, the Second World War took the lives of 45 million civilians and 15 million in battle, though worldwide numbers vary.

The poll also found that 25 to 44 per cent believe that if another world war were to occur in the next 5-10 years, it would result in the deaths of most of the world’s population.

This sentiment was reflected in the Ipsos findings, with the threat of nuclear war sitting high in the minds of the global population. The research agency says 72 per cent believe there is a likelihood that nuclear, biological, or chemical warfare could happen somewhere in the world.

In addition, YouGov found that among all nations surveyed, there was a “clear sense” that most people felt their respective country’s militaries would not be sufficiently prepared to enter a war.