That would still be a better situation than the one we have now, because the rebuilding would take a considerable time, and in that time the dispute might be settled. But the danger of the ultimate catastrophe would still be there. The only way to prevent it is to abolish war altogether. War must cease to be an admissible social institution. We must learn to resolve our disputes by means other than military confrontation.
Any international treaty entails some surrender of national sovereignty, and is generally unpopular.
Whatever system of governance is eventually adopted, it is important that it carries the people with it. It calls for the nurturing of a feeling of belonging to the human race. We have to become world citizens. Notwithstanding the fragmentation that has occurred since the end of the Cold War, and the many wars for recognition of national or ethnic identities, I believe that the prospects for the acceptance of this new loyalty are now better than at the time of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto. This is so largely because of the enormous progress made by science and technology during these 40 years.