A nuclear attack would trigger immediate devastation—blinding flashes, firestorms, and societal breakdown—followed by a prolonged nuclear winter that could starve over 5 billion people. While regions like Australia and New Zealand might offer limited refuge due to their isolation, survival would depend on more than geography. Historical shifts, such as Reagan’s policy reversal after watching *The Day After*, show that public awareness and leadership can drive disarmament. Though warhead numbers have dropped from 70,000 to 12,500, risks persist—not from current digital systems, which remain analog and secure, but from future threats like artificial general intelligence. The greatest danger may lie in individual leaders with unchecked power, especially when driven by fear or instability. Yet, because humans created this threat, they can also solve it—through policy, pressure, and a conscious shift in mindset toward cooperation over suspicion.