The existential threat posed against humans are climate change, nuclear war and AI, all three are linked to a capitalist mode of production and the production relation it entails. The last time an apocalypse happened was 65 million years ago when an asteroid collided with earth before the emergence of humans as a species and when dinosaurs were inhabiting the earth.
The book ‘Nuclear War – A Scenario’ by Annie Jacobsen is a scary minute by minute unfolding of a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions after North Korea launches a nuclear attack on the United States. The hypothetical scenario starts with a radar blip on SBIRS (Satellite Based Infrared Systems) which is an indication of the launch of a nuclear missile from North Korea. Though the book is based on a hypothetical situation, how the story unfolds is based on inputs from scientists and defence experts. What follows is a nightmare which ends in 1600 seconds. The book insinuates that humans are not worthy of the name Homosapiens which means “wise man” in Latin.
We live in a world of guided missiles and unguided men. Take Elon Musk for example, who recklessly stated in a 2024 interview with Donald Trump that a nuclear Holocaust would “not be as scary as people think”. The start and end of a nuclear war using ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles) is not far apart; there is only 1600 seconds in between. The story exposes how even US presidents are ignorant on the question of a nuclear war scenario. The president is eventually forced to flee Washington DC in KNEECAP (code name for doomsday plane), exposing how in a nuclear war nobody wins and that ultimately the living envy the dead.
Human beings change Mother Nature through their labour. In that process, human beings change themselves, and it is through this dialectical relationship that knowledge is gained. It is through the knowledge we have gained in our struggle alongside nature that all progress – scientific and civilizational – has been achieved. As the book reveals, the entirety of this progress could be undone in 1600 seconds. When it comes to nuclear war, the ultimate goal is to inflict maximum damage to the enemy. At the same time, maximum damage is inflicted upon the planet of which we all share. There are no winners, one moment of madness is enough to lead us to a nuclear winter and mass extinction. Einstein once said, “there are two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity and I’m not sure about the universe.”
Mankind has been on the edge of nuclear catastrophe in the past; in 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis; in 1983 when Stanislav Petrov prevented the initiation of nuclear war after a false alarm; during the recent attack on Iran in which Israel violated Rule 42 of the International Committee Of Red Cross which prevents nuclear reactors being bombed in a war.
In the book, the author quotes John Rubel who reveals a secret meeting happened in 1960 in a bunker within Offutt Air Force base in Nebraska. A chilling plan called SIOP or Single Integrated Operational Plan was drawn up to destroy Moscow with a preemptive nuclear first strike which could have killed 600 million people. John Rubel says that the meeting reminded him of the Nazi meeting in a lakeside villa in the town of Wannsee in 1942 for the Final Solution to exterminate the Jews. The basis of this barbarous plan to destroy the very planet we live in, is the way in which the world is organised – in the interest of profits rather than that of people’s welfare. In a capitalist world, war is inevitable because peace is not profitable. French socialist Jean Jaures said, “Capitalism carries war like clouds carry rain.” Imperialism needs enemies. More times than not these enemies are invented, such as; the Cold war; The War on Terror; ‘installing democracy’ and so on.
The problem with the book is that the scenario is not supported by history: North Korea launching a nuclear attack and the US retaliating. History tells us a different story – the only country that has used nuclear weapons on innocent people is the United States in Hiroshima and Nagasaki . Israel targeted the nuclear facility in Iran violating rule 42. The book fails to nail the real scenario which is the threat to world peace by imperialism. The fact is that imperialism wants no friends, it only has interests.
In 1955 after the Bandung Conference countries like India, Egypt and Indonesia joined the Non aligned movement (NAM) which emphasised on economic development allotting resources for the welfare of the people rather than military expenditure. Now, an immense amount of money is wasted to accumulate weapons and militarisation which could otherwise be used for healthcare, education and housing.
This book is a must read for people in anti-war movements and activists who fight for neutrality and peace but most importantly for those who fight for socialism. The alternative is barbarism.
AUGUST 6 is HIROSHIMA DAY
