Many experts refer to the period we're currently living in as "Long Peace." Some historians and anthropologists suggest that this is the longest period of peace that human civilization has ever experienced. Granted, there have been military conflicts since 1945, but none have reached a global scale that experts would consider a "World War."
However, some historians disagree, calling such a definition too simplistic. Just because there's no war going on in America or the Western world in general, doesn't mean that there's no devastating military conflict elsewhere. Some experts suggest that the world has split into "zones of peace" and "zones of war." Zones of war usually envelop countries in the developing world, while zones of peace are states that no longer have civil and interstate wars or "the security dilemma."
In today's world, the prospect of conflict is on many people's minds, even in the "developed" world. According to a 2025 survey, more than 40% of Americans and people in Western European countries believe a third global conflict is due in the next 5 to 10 years. Many see similarities between today's political climate, the rise of far-right power, and the events that eventually led to the previous two World Wars.
What's more, many people anticipate this coming conflict to be even more devastating than WWII. 68% to 76% respondents believed that the war would include nuclear weapons, and most see Russia as the main possible aggressor. The sad part is that only the minorities of respondents in the countries think their armed forces would be able to defend them.
But maybe "Long Peace" is an illusion. Also called Pax Americana, it's hardly a period of peace, if we think about it. Even today, if we check the CrisisWatch Conflict Tracker, more than half of the world map lights up with at least some form of armed conflict.
Peace is an unusual state for human civilization. As The New York Times reported in 2003, we've had peace for a total of 268 days over the past 3,400 years. Given that we've been here for around 5,000 years, that's about eight percent of our documented time here on Earth.
Not all conflicts are solved with violence. The Whiskey War between Canada and Denmark, for example, was resolvedthrough diplomacy. For 50 years, from 1973 to 2023, both wanted to claim Hans Island for themselves. In 1984, Canada raised its flag on the island and left behind a bottle of whiskey.
Then Denmark's Minister of Greenland Affairs came for a visit, swapped the Canadian flag for the Danish one, and left a bottle of Danish schnapps. Both countries went back and forth like this until 2022, when they signed a treaty in Ottawa and divided the island roughly in half.
The 335-year war, where everyone forgot they were fighting, was between the Isles of Scilly and the Netherlands. Until 1986, it was the longest-running war in history, but, just like with the Whiskey War, there was zero bloodshed. The Dutch declared war on the Isles of Scilly, but because of the English Civil War, they packed up and left.
If not for the local historian Roy Duncan, they still might be at war today. He wrote a letter to the Dutch embassy in London, and the embassy found documents confirming that both sides were indeed still at war. In 1986, the Dutch ambassador Rein Huydecoper signed a peace treaty, ending the 335-year war.
Which of these historical tidbits surprised you the most, Pandas? Did you learn something new? Drop your favorite fact about a war down below in the comments! If you want to delve deeper into history, check out our previous publications about unique historical treasures and the weird side of history.
