how many countries are required to consider a war a WORLD war?

Answer 1

We only have two world wars to use as examples. Many people call the Cold War and War on Terror world wars, but history is very selective and discriminating. So what do the first world wars have in common? Some have stated it above: superpowers in opposite camps with the majority of the countries on one side or the other. Also the involvement of more than one continent and ocean. The Cold War falls short because it wasn't hot and the war on terror does not involve super powers in opposite camps....just a localized war among rumps states relegated to the heap of regional conflicts

Answer 2

There is no magic number since the amount of countries on the face of the earth has changed dramatically over the years. Basically, a war is declared a World War after a bunch of historians and other academics get together and analyze how many countries were involved and what was going on. I believe there have been 9 world wars in recorded history. The US has only been in on 2 and WWI was called "The Great War" until WWII caused it to be renamed. Who knows, years from now the international community could agree that we are in the midst of WW3 right now.

Answer 3

A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's major nations. World wars usually span multiple continents, and are very bloody and destructive.

The term has usually been applied to two conflicts of unprecedented scale and slaughter that occurred during the 20th century. They were the First World War, also known as the Great War (1914–1918) and the Second World War (1939–1945).

Answer 4

I don't think there has to be a certain amount, just the country's location. Like in WW2 you had Japan in Asia, all the European countries, some African Countries, and North America. I don't know if it's right but that's just my assumption.

Answer 5

I don't think there is a certain number. Many people believe that the Cold War was WWIII, but you don't really hear that term for it very often.

Answer 6

Now HERE'S an interesting question!