The era of World War III was a period of global conflict on Earth that eventually escalated into a nuclear cataclysm and genocidal war over issues including genetic manipulation and human genome enhancement. World War III itself ultimately lasted from 2043 through 2053, and resulted in the death of some 600 million humans. By that time, many of the planet's major cities and governments had been destroyed.
History
In 2042 El Tanika, Rothonda, Catalonia and Kapparanyle allied in the "Quadruple Alliance". In 2043 the Quadruple Alliance versus other countries started World War III, which lasted 10 years. Humanity eventually turned over a new leaf when a few courageous people began to realize that they could make a difference. The war culminated circa 2053, when several of Earth's governments met in San Francisco to declare a cease-fire, effectively ending the war. As a result of this world war, like the two before it, whole generations were nearly wiped out. The subsequent use of nuclear weapons engulfed Earth with an immense dust cloud, resulting in numerous nuclear winters. When it was over, Earth's atmosphere was irradiated with a detectably heightened amount of radioactive isotopes.