Nuclear Weapons Don’t Stop at Borders, No Civilizations Are Safe
History shows something very clear: war by itself rarely destroys a civilization. Civilizations usually fall slowly, through a deadly mix of war, internal weakness, economic collapse, and natural disasters. Take Rome, for example—barbarian invasions didn’t destroy it alone; corruption and economic decay had already weakened it over time. The Maya fell not just because of wars between city-states, but also because of long-lasting droughts. The Indus Valley civilization collapsed slowly as rivers shifted and crops repeatedly failed. The Aztecs were defeated by Hernán Cortés, but disease and internal divisions had been weakening them for years. Even the mighty Byzantine Empire, after centuries of slow decline, finally fell when the Ottomans captured Constantinople. Looking at history, it’s clear that civilizations rarely end suddenly—destruction happens slowly, as many problems strike together over time. In reality, almost all collapses happened over years or decades. Only very rare ev...