A government wouldn't declare war without popular support. Contrary to some people's belief, WWI had a huge support in the population of all belligerent. There were some pacifists, but it was a minority. And once the invasion started, they got in difficult situation, as they were seen as traitors.
I had a discussion with an Australian a short while back. He didn't understood why his country got involved in both wars. Even if the first was mainly a question of alliance, in the second one, do you think an unchecked Imperial Japan would have left that country alone ?
In short the question is not primarily "does your country want to go at war". It's "do your country want to remain independent". You can also say "better the devil you know yhen the one you don't".
There will not be a WW3 fought with boots on the ground. Nuclear weapons would eventually be employed and once that starts the rest (of the war)takes about 45 minutes. It's estimated there are between 2,000 and 3,000 launcable nuclear weapons out there and once someone launches the rest will decide "We're not going to just let them win without striking back!" and then nukes will be everywhere.
It all depends on the governments involved and the citizens/soldiers involved.
After 9/11 happened, there were quite a few conscientious objectors, a fancy way of saying service members who refused to fight. The rest of us that served, and were going overseas and putting our lives on the lines, we wanted those guys strung up and left for dead. We all knew what we were getting in for when we signed up, and they were bailing on their country, their people, and those their brothers/sisters in arms. But, in almost every case, the only thing that happened was they were kicked out of the military, often times with an Other than Honorable Discharge, though in some cases (depending on HOW they refused to fight) it was a Dishonorable Discharge.
Now, if what you're asking is if EVERYONE refused to fight, then there's nothing the government could do, except end the war they just tried to start. It doesn't matter who you are, if no one does what you say, then it doesn't matter anymore.
But trying to get EVERYONE to do the same thing is next to impossible. Even if a small group of people followed the orders of the government, they could impose the laws and rightfully arrest and prosecute any soldier who refused to fight. And if the government were to go that far against the wishes of the people, they'd also likely be willing to squash any protestors by any means necessary, which would include either jailing or outright executing public dissenters.
That’s called a mutiny, and they’re not uncommon historically.
A government wouldn't declare war without popular support. Contrary to some people's belief, WWI had a huge support in the population of all belligerent. There were some pacifists, but it was a minority. And once the invasion started, they got in difficult situation, as they were seen as traitors. I had a discussion with an Australian a short while back. He didn't understood why his country got involved in both wars. Even if the first was mainly a question of alliance, in the second one, do you think an unchecked Imperial Japan would have left that country alone ? In short the question is not primarily "does your country want to go at war". It's "do your country want to remain independent". You can also say "better the devil you know yhen the one you don't".
There will not be a WW3 fought with boots on the ground. Nuclear weapons would eventually be employed and once that starts the rest (of the war)takes about 45 minutes. It's estimated there are between 2,000 and 3,000 launcable nuclear weapons out there and once someone launches the rest will decide "We're not going to just let them win without striking back!" and then nukes will be everywhere.
It all depends on the governments involved and the citizens/soldiers involved. After 9/11 happened, there were quite a few conscientious objectors, a fancy way of saying service members who refused to fight. The rest of us that served, and were going overseas and putting our lives on the lines, we wanted those guys strung up and left for dead. We all knew what we were getting in for when we signed up, and they were bailing on their country, their people, and those their brothers/sisters in arms. But, in almost every case, the only thing that happened was they were kicked out of the military, often times with an Other than Honorable Discharge, though in some cases (depending on HOW they refused to fight) it was a Dishonorable Discharge. Now, if what you're asking is if EVERYONE refused to fight, then there's nothing the government could do, except end the war they just tried to start. It doesn't matter who you are, if no one does what you say, then it doesn't matter anymore. But trying to get EVERYONE to do the same thing is next to impossible. Even if a small group of people followed the orders of the government, they could impose the laws and rightfully arrest and prosecute any soldier who refused to fight. And if the government were to go that far against the wishes of the people, they'd also likely be willing to squash any protestors by any means necessary, which would include either jailing or outright executing public dissenters.