A war that broke out in the late 21st century and continued in one form or for 198 years in various theaters around the world. Sometimes known as World War III, it was the most transformative conflict in human history. The largest battles were fought in the first 15 years, but the resulting breakup of every major global power produced a large number of much smaller states who continued to war with each other. The United States of America survived the first decades in name only, and by the end of hostilities, had broken into numerous smaller nations, including the Genetic States of America, which became the United Empire of Earth, and the American Confederacy, which survives to the present day, albeit after being entirely relocated off Earth.