As we all know, war is a tragedy of human society and has brought great harm to mankind. From World War I to World War II, and then to modern wars, every war has left incalculable pain and losses in the world. In today's world, competition is fierce, and the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has made people worried, and some people are even worried about the occurrence of a third world war. If war breaks out again, and someone proposes that 1.4 billion people donate 500 yuan each for military supplies, how long can this money last in modern warfare?
Maybe you're wondering what this question is. First, let's look back at the enormous damage that World War I and World War II have done to the world throughout history.
The First World War broke out in 1914 and lasted for four years, and both the military and civilians of the participating countries experienced a huge amount of **. According to statistics, there were 33 warring countries during World War I, with a total death toll of more than 16 million and 21 million injuries. The war wreaked havoc on the continent, with many cities in ruins, the economy battered, losses amounting to $270 billion, and tens of millions of families bereaved loved ones. After the end of World War I, the world economy also fell into a severe recession, laying the hidden danger for World War II.
Subsequently, World War II broke out in 1931 and lasted 14 years. World War II was the largest and most devastating war in human history. According to statistics, the global death toll is as high as 70 million, including 25 million soldiers and 45 million civilians. The war has brought great damage to all parts of the world, almost the entire European continent has been destroyed, and Asia, Africa and other regions have also suffered serious damage. After the war, the economies of the countries of the world were in disarray, and reconstruction required huge sums of money and time. After World War II, more than 70 years of world peace, if another large-scale war broke out, 1.4 billion people donated 500 yuan each, in fact, it would not last long.
Let's take the Vietnam War and the Gulf War as examples. The Vietnam War, which took place in the '60s and '70s of the 20th century, was one of the longest and most controversial wars in U.S. history. According to statistics, the United States invested 14 years in the Vietnam War, and its military spending amounted to about $686 billion. Based on the standard of 1.4 billion people donating 500 yuan each, this money can support about 7 months. The 1991 Gulf War was a war triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.
The U.S.-led coalition eventually expelled the Iraqi army and restored Kuwait's independence. According to statistics, the military expenditure of the United States in this war amounted to 60 billion dollars. Based on the standard of 1.4 billion people donating 500 yuan each, this money can support about 8 months. Of course, at that time, most of the expenses of the coalition forces were borne by the United States, and if calculated according to the standard of 500 yuan per person, it is estimated that it can only last for 2-3 months. However, it should be noted that it was in the 90s of the last century, with severe inflation, and today, this money is only enough to support more than 20 days.
The cost of modern warfare is enormous, and the value of missiles, aircraft carriers, fighter planes, nuclear submarines, and other equipment is very high; an aircraft carrier starts at $10 billion, and a fighter plane or a nuclear submarine costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Even the main battle tank is in the tens of millions. In the attrition of war, even a rich power can go bankrupt. In the Vietnam War, a large part of the reason why the United States withdrew its troops was that it fell into a war of attrition, which affected the domestic economy and almost collapsed, and it had to withdraw its troops. It can be seen that in modern warfare, with the development of military technology, the cost of war is also increasing.
In addition to the economic losses, war can also cause enormous psychological damage to society, which in the long run is often more profound than the economic losses. Therefore, we should devote ourselves all the more to peace and cooperation, resolve international disputes through diplomatic means, and avoid the suffering and losses that war will bring to human society. All countries should work together to promote world peace and stability through international cooperation and development. Hopefully, we can work together to make the world a more peaceful and beautiful place.