If a WW3 between NATO and the Warsaw Pact was non nuclear, what would WW4 be like?

[Terran Allias]

None of this sticks and stones BS

Basically, if the Cold War had gone hot and for some reason nukes weren't a thing, would there be a WW4? If so what would it look like? Assume a Soviet or Western victory

 

[Captain Homicide]

It depends on when during the Cold War the conflict happens. The more advanced the technology means the harder it is to replenish and rebuild.

 

[Baron Bizarre]

It's hard to imagine one not going nuclear in a world where nukes existed. Maybe, just maybe, WWIII could be a war of attrition where both sides were wearing themsevles down but weren't quite ready to pull the Final Trigger, and agreed to more or less a status quo ante with maybe some minor territorial concessions. In that case, "World War IV" might well be a re-match once one or both sides thought they'd recovered enough.
If nukes had nevr been invented, we might well have had World War Three by the sixties. In that case, the nature of WWIV would depend a lot upon who won WWIII and how that one ended. In that case, there could still be a re-match, or maybe the WWIII victor against China or a Chinese-led coalition.

 

[Lalli]

Really implausible if not ASB that WW3 wouldn't turn as nuclear war or at least nukes are not used on some degree.

But if there is such WW3 which not lead collapse of civilisation, WW4 depends how that war ends and how long it is. It too depends terms of peace and immediate afterwards. There might be WW4 or then not.