The third Antichrist
To achieve the tremendous impact the first two antichrists have had (if we accept that they where Hitler and Napoleon), a number of circumstances needed to be accomplished. Firstly the antichrists represented world powers and were able to motivate and inspire a large number of followers. Both Hitler and Napoleon were leaders of the most powerful nations at their time. They had the will and the means to achieve their goals no matter the cost and the consequences. They were able to sell their ideas to their followers and convince whole nations to participate in their plans.
The political and economic circumstances needed firm and resolute actions. The antichrists brought hope and strength. It was the objection by other nations that finally set off the slaughter between mankind. The cost and the consequences were large-scale death, destruction and suffering for France, Europe and the world in general.
It seems logical that the third antichrist will fit in, in that same way. Most likely he will become the leader of a most powerful nation at a certain moment in time. A man with the will, drive and means to achieve his goals no matter the consequences. This leader will be loved by its own people and will lead them to believe that they deserve more and better. Under his leadership his own country will flourish and expand.
In the first stages, this third antichrist will point out external enemies to give strength to his strategies. He will strive for a strong military and a firm control over his nation and people, their opinions and actions. The antichrist and his close followers have the uncanny ability to manipulate and convince people of the right of their actions and their methods. Under other circumstances these methods would be unnecessary, unacceptable, wrong or illegal.
In order to expand his power, established international agreements get canceled or changed. Rules that apply to all nations will not be allowed to apply to him or his people.
The antichrist will follow a strategy of expansion: nations will be manipulated, countries invaded and control of natural resources reallocated in order to improve the quality of life of his own people and to ensure their safety and future development. The consequences of the growth and success of this one nation will negatively affect other countries. Initially the politics followed, will cause international unrest, discussion, frustration, doubts, unbelief etcetera but no actions.
Since the third antichrist is likely to be the leader of a technically and economically very advanced nation he will have access to advanced powerfull sciences, technology and weapons. This dominating position will further facilitate manipulating other countries to join or to commend his actions. His main aim will be to remove the impact any consequences that his expansive actions might entail for him, his followers and his nation by focussing and further developing military defence systems and building up a strong secret service.
The attack-weapons of choice will be those that have little or no consequences for the attacker, preferably not even revealing who is using them.
Today’s weapons of mass destruction do not qualify as the attacker can be identified and using these weapons will give its nation a bad image in the global public opinion. However, tomorrows technology promisses to deliver weapons of mass destruction that work selective, secretive, effective and efficient and possibly resemble natural disasters. Some of these weapons will be able to create artificial tsunamis, earthquakes, monsoons or even meteorites without revealing it's cause or origin. Such weapons would allow for the ultimate pre-emptive strike as it would not have consequences or costs for the attacker. Lacking negative consequences, the nation of the antichrist is likely to become totalitarian.
The stronger and more influential the nation of the antichrist, the longer it takes for other countries to take defensive measurements. When countries finally stand up and join together against this power it will be the beginning of large-scale destruction and the era of "trials and tribulations" will begin.