Would Earth Be Ready for an Actual War of the Worlds?

No, not even a speck of certainty exists that Earth could fend off an actual alien invasion as depicted in H.G. Wells' classic novel, The War of the Worlds.

Defense War Games and the Real World Scenario

A few years ago, a defense war game was conducted to simulate an alien invasion. The scenarios were left open to actual human forces against a technologically superior foe. The results were shocking: the human forces lost every single time.

Even more asymmetric guerilla warfare did little to change the outcome. Surely, if the attacking group were technologically superior, the human race would suffer a military defeat. However, only microbes saved humanity in the novel. In reality, the situation might look very different.

Modern Armaments vs. Alien Tripods

Should an alien war of worlds indeed happen in the modern era, Earth would likely triumph with ease. An Alien Tripod, for example, was easily defeated in the original novel by gunfire from a pre-World War I battleship. Modern weaponry would tear apart any alien tech with relative ease, although at a significant cost in casualties due to the superior offensive weaponry of the aliens.

The key is that these aliens are not invincible. They can be defeated by modern human armaments. However, the sheer numbers and combined arms approach would ensure a daunting defeat for the invaders. Still, modern humanity’s abilities in biological warfare could greatly hamper an alien vanguard.

Patterns of Resistance and Appeasement

The history of human interactions with alien invasions is already telling. Even if the invaders were defeated, as Atahualpa learned from the Inca resistance to the Spanish, the invaders would continue their rule.

The encounter between Atahualpa and the Spanish conquistadors is a prime example. Despite attempts to appease and buy off the invaders, the eventual outcome was betrayal, enslavement, and cultural annihilation. This is a pattern that has repeated throughout history.

Often, the first resistance would be met with overwhelming superiority, leading to a retreat. Those who continued to resist would face harsh consequences, while those who surrendered and adopted the invader’s culture would experience a slow and painful cultural erasure.

The pattern of conquest, control, and cultural erasure is evident in numerous historical instances. From the Phoenicians in the Levant to Roman Spain, to 19th century Africa, and even the Russian occupation of Chechnya, the methods used have been consistent and cruel.

Further, notable examples such as the death of Sitting Bull highlight this pattern. Sitting Bull, a powerful Native American leader, was not killed by American soldiers. He was, however, assassinated by two Native American policemen, during an arrest ordered by a civilian government representative, amidst suspicion and potential conflict.

No matter the culture or society, the outcome has historically been the same: domination and cultural erasure.