Imagine a sort of World War 3 scenario, between multiple nuclear nations. Do you think it is possible for there to be a war of this scale where all nations involved are at total war with each other (ie WW1/WW2) but no nuclear weapons are used? What I mean by total war is a third generation blitzkrieg type scenario, where entire cities are bombed and shelled and civilian deaths are not a concern for the militaries involved. I wonder if the involved nations will sort of "agree" not to use nuclear weapons because they know that if they do the opposing nation will respond and most of the world will be destroyed. Are nuclear weapons more of a power that is necessary to have but will never be used? Or will the nex world war simply be a matter of who can let the nukes off the quickest? Thoughts?

I can't help but wonder why nuclear capable countries are even bothering to keep large military forces if this is the case. Obviously some form of standing military force is necessary for non total-war scenerios, but not of the sizes some countries have now if all that will happen is nukes flying.