The World War 3 memes are here—and they're dark (2024)

Nahila Bonfiglio Memes

Concern over a theoretical World War 3 is high, and people are expressing their anxiety through memes.

Following a drone strike carried out by the United States that killed two prominent Iranian officials, many Americans are concerned. People took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the matter and quickly turned to memes to communicate their feelings. Unsurprisingly, the waves of WWIII memes now sweeping the web are not sitting well with everyone.

good morning to the west coast pic.twitter.com/NniquMnDTg

— Denny Carter (@CDCarter13) January 3, 2020

Most of the memes poked fun at fear of getting drafted. Many draft-aged users are expressing their fear of the draft through funny, but ominous, posts. “Me after I fake my death to avoid getting drafted,” one user captioned a video.

Me after I fake my death to avoid getting drafted #WWIII pic.twitter.com/kZK6Skqkq3

— Jack Cammarato (@CammaratoJack) January 3, 2020

Me chilling at home after ignoring my draft notice #WWIII pic.twitter.com/fMRtvRg3ZV

— Bosith Weerasinghe (@_bosith_) January 3, 2020

Other memes centered around millennials and Gen-Z joking about their general lack of preparedness for war.

As the World War 3 memes picked up speed online, they were met by a swift and fierce backlash. Disapproving users chided memers for their nonchalance, and for using memes as a “coping” mechanism. “Stop saying ur making memes about war as a ‘coping’ method,” one user wrote. “Every single one of u will be fine the people of iraq and iran will continue to suffer u people have nothing to be f*cking coping for.”

so funny that americans think they CAN cope over this with jokes … what the f*ck are you coping? you’re not going to die and your homeland will not be destabilized. you are not in a position to cope by any means.

— 🐀 (@99centcowgirl) January 3, 2020

War is not a f*cking joke,” another user wrote. “It is a destructive and selfish act. 4,424 U.S. soldiers and an estimated 600K Iraqi civilians died in the Iraq war over WMDs that did not exist. So please stop with these #WWIII memes and instead call your Congress members and tell them #NoWarWithIran.”

War is not a f*cking joke. It is a destructive and selfish act. 4,424 U.S. soldiers and an estimated 600K Iraqi civilians died in the Iraq war over WMDs that did not exist. So please stop with these #WWIII memes and instead call your Congress members and tell them #NoWarWithIran.

— Power to the People ☭🕊 (@ProudSocialist) January 3, 2020

americans joking about commiting more imperialism and genocide in another country and saying 'it's a coping mechanism' is peak 2020 and we're literally only two days into this year https://t.co/Lf0XgkUtnD

— indie (@INDIEWASHERE) January 3, 2020

Accusations that Black users, in particular, were at the center of the influx of memes suddenly shifted the focus for critics. Some started going after Twitter users of color, heaping criticism on their tweets for not taking the situation seriously. “Honestly, I’m not believing a lot of you right now when you say that war is not funny,” one user shot back at critics. “Twitter is such a performative space, I find it likely that many of you are declaring how unfunny Black Twitter is just for some retweets. All of it is pretty disgusting at this point.”

The World War 3 memes are here—and they're dark (2)

A lot of Black liberals are so used to playing the oppression olympics that they now want to equate Black folks experience here with that of folks in the global south, living under the bullseye of the worlds most lethal military. Pls don’t do this.

— Bae Guevara (@Kaimandante) January 3, 2020

Black Twitter, meanwhile, remained entirely unfazed by the criticism. “All of black twitter chillin in jail when we refuse to go to war,” one user wrote.

“we really shouldn’t joke about the war-“
black twitter: pic.twitter.com/3N00VP6AMt

— ✨ (@hoepiecess) January 3, 2020

“We goin to war soon”

All of black twitter: pic.twitter.com/tcPJnGy2Ky

— tj detweiler (@QuannyBeenJiggy) January 3, 2020

America: If Y’all Dont Enlist Y’all Not getting Y’all Tax Money

Black Twitter: pic.twitter.com/wa1Kajx3a3

— Obi Book Kenobi (@Krib7) January 3, 2020

All of black twitter chillin in jail when we refuse to go to war pic.twitter.com/wv94VyBJ5s

— Damion🤟🏾🌴 (@butl3r__) January 3, 2020

Everybody Else: Oh my god, WW3 is coming, we gotta fight this.

Black Twitter: pic.twitter.com/tvVX4mYGvH

— 𝙰𝙻𝙴𝚇 ™️🎬📱🤓 (@TheeOnyxScholar) January 3, 2020

As of press time, the memes show no sign of slowing down.

READ MORE:

  • Trump didn’t know who Qassem Soleimani was when he ran for president
  • Dedicated QAnon believers trying to prove Tom Hanks is a pedophile
  • People are trolling Trump’s flag tweet after Soleimani airstrike
The World War 3 memes are here—and they're dark (2024)

FAQs

What was the famous quote about World War 3? ›

Albert Einstein is often quoted as having said: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones".

Which country is most likely to survive WWIII? ›

  • Read on below for the full list to see where you would be safest in the event of another World War. ...
  • Antarctica. View of an iceberg at the Gerlache Strait, which separates the Palmer Archipelago from the Antarctic Peninsula, in Antarctica on January 16, 2024. ...
  • Argentina. ...
  • Bhutan. ...
  • Chile. ...
  • Fiji. ...
  • Greenland. ...
  • Iceland.
Jan 18, 2024

What would happen if World War III started? ›

It is widely assumed that such a war would involve all of the great powers, like its predecessors, as well as the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction, thus surpassing prior conflicts in geographic scope, devastation, and loss of life.

Will World War III be nuclear? ›

If World War 3 were to start, it would likely involve large-scale use of advanced military technologies, including nuclear weapons. This could result in massive casualties, widespread destruction, and significant geopolitical shifts.

What is the most famous war quote? ›

1. “This is a war to end all wars.” President Woodrow Wilson made the saying famous, but he was not the first one who used it.

What is the most famous quote in ww2? ›

One of Winston Churchill's most famous speeches, which he delivered to the House of Commons on June 4, 1940. An interesting fact about the speech was that from the beginning “We shall fight on the beaches...” and ending “… we shall never surrender”, consists of words derived from Old English (Anglo-Saxon).

What is the safest state to live in if WW3 happens? ›

for other armies to attack, North Dakota is still one of the safest states to be in. if a war broke out. due to its location. being far away from main international conflict areas.

Where is the best place to live if World War 3 started? ›

New Zealand, with its stable democracy and a history free from war conflicts, stands as another hidden away and developed nation. With fertile soil, clean water, and a capability to produce its own food, New Zealand's mountainous terrains offer natural shelters in the face of potential invasion.

Who is most likely to win WWIII? ›

If the war were to be China and their allies facing Western nations and their allies, 48% of Americans think the Western nations would win. If both China and Russia — and their allies — were fighting Western nations and their allies in a world war, 45% of Americans say the Western nations would win.

What happens to your money in the bank when there is a war? ›

What's left in a bank (governments might not find every last penny) is usually depreciated and a successor government will come up with a new currency. They may offer an exchange of the old currency for the new, but at horrendous rates. Being in a country totally destroyed by war has few upsides.

Where to hide in WW3? ›

New Zealand and Australia could be among the safest places on the planet in the event of World War III. They are surrounded by water on all sides, have a temperate climate, and, most importantly, no deepwater ports that could be used by enemy landing forces for attack and logistical purposes.

How to prepare for World War III? ›

Three things to look into TODAY:
  1. Start preparing your emergency survival kit. Now there are tons of stuff you can hoard for a bad day. ...
  2. Create an Emergency Plan with your loved ones. Make sure everyone is aware of where each of you will be and where to meet up after a nuclear event.

Are there chances of nuclear war? ›

We think the chance of a nuclear war in the next 100 years is something like 20–50%. Estimates of the existential risk from nuclear war within the next 100 years range from 0.005–1%. We think the existential risk from nuclear war is around 0.01%.

Which country is the 3rd to get nuclear weapons? ›

The United Kingdom was the third country in the world, after the United States and the Soviet Union, to develop and test a nuclear weapon.

When did the Third World War start? ›

The Third World War has not yet occurred, but it is a hypothetical future conflict that has been the subject of various novels, films, and video games.

What is a good quote from war of the Worlds? ›

“No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own.” “This isn't a war… It never was a war, any more than there's war between men and ants.” “They seemed amazingly busy.

What was the famous quote from we were soldiers? ›

Colonel Hal Moore: I can't promise you that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear, before you and before Almighty God, that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off, and I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together.

What is a famous quote from ww1? ›

A soldier's duty is not to reason why, but to do and die. A soldier's duty is not to reason why, but to do and die.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Arline Emard IV

Last Updated:

Views: 5769

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Arline Emard IV

Birthday: 1996-07-10

Address: 8912 Hintz Shore, West Louie, AZ 69363-0747

Phone: +13454700762376

Job: Administration Technician

Hobby: Paintball, Horseback riding, Cycling, Running, Macrame, Playing musical instruments, Soapmaking

Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.