I'm not suggesting thermonuclear apocalypse, perhaps a large conflict where millions of people around the world are drafted. Each draftee might see combat, or they might not.

This is highly theoretical, of course, but I think it's an interesting thought experiment. Wars, especially global ones, have been some of the most powerful catalysts for social change in history.

Would we see large amounts of women voluntarily taking up arms, or positions of influence, if given the opportunity? The barriers to doing so are much lower than in 1940. Or would wars re-spark dormant traditional roles that have been slowly in decline - men being thrust into positions of fundamental providing, either literally (defence of one's country and family), or in a more abstract sense (more men - previously unwilling or unable to - taking up positions of power and control in the military, governmental and private sector than perhaps would be the case in peace time)?

Would such a war speed up or reverse developments in gender equality and male-female relations, not just during the war, but after it?