Before 1940, wouldn't it have just been called "The World War?"
2007-01-04 09:59:14 · 9 answers · asked by kinsmed 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Contrary to what many state/assume, the 'first' and 'second' "world war" terminology was NOT invented at the end of WWII.
Actually, talk of a 'second world war' and the like began BEFORE "World War II" itself. And at the same time the term "World War I" began to be used.
Apparently the first place this appeared in print was the September 11, 1938 issue of Time magazine.
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=371070
2007-01-04 17:16:08 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, WW2 started in Sept 1939. So WW1 wouldn't be refereed to as such prior to that. At the time WW1 was generally called "The Great War"; although, per wikipedia, it was apparently also referred to as a world war while it was happening.
Personally, I think future historians will consider them two phases of the same conflict since they are only separated by 21 years and if the First hadn't concluded as it did, the Second wouldn't have occurred.
2007-01-04 10:20:13 · answer #2 · answered by greeneyed_dancer 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
before september 1939 (when WWII began....its when britian and france declaired war on germany), WWI was referred to as the great war. yet, many historical theorists sees WWI and WWII as one big war with a break in the middle....both were caused by a culmination of simmiar ideas such as Germanys desire to prove itself as a powerful new nation, and the power struggle within Europe at the time.
2007-01-04 12:43:04 · answer #3 · answered by fifs_c 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
oh oh oh we learned in world history it was supposed to be "the war to end all wars" we thought after that their would be no wars but WRONG ! they didnt no that we would have a ww2. i suspect before a centriey (bad spelling) we will have a ww3 ! i hope not but the way our world is going you never know!
2007-01-04 10:07:56 · answer #4 · answered by pssssh please 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It was called 'The Great War' prior to WW2
2007-01-04 10:01:03 · answer #5 · answered by rdenig_male 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
whe world war II ended
2007-01-04 10:06:44 · answer #6 · answered by QU!NT!N 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it was called the war to end all wars i think
2007-01-04 10:02:46 · answer #7 · answered by bakerone 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it was known as the great war until after ww2
2007-01-04 10:04:20 · answer #8 · answered by cav 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
around 1930 i beleive yes there was ww1
2007-01-04 12:16:36 · answer #9 · answered by cass b 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋