What Should be Considered a World War

Which is a "World War"

  • Greco-Persian War

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Wars of Alexander the Great

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • Diadochi Wars

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Punic Wars

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Roman Civil War

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • Crusades

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • Nine Years War

    Votes: 2 1.8%
  • War of Spanish Succession

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • War of Austrian Succession

    Votes: 2 1.8%
  • Seven Years War

    Votes: 76 66.7%
  • French Revolutionary Wars

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Napoleonic Wars

    Votes: 30 26.3%

  • Total voters
    114
Where's the option for "none of the above"?

Some of these conflicts could be considered world wars, but never one of the World Wars.
 
Where's the option for "none of the above"?

Some of these conflicts could be considered world wars, but never one of the World Wars.

Funny grammar joke. But no context. The title has World War capitalised because it's a title. The OP has world war uncapitalised because the OPer isn't using it as a proper noun.
 
My problem with calling these pre industrial wars world wars is that they are too disjointed and regional and communication too slow for any sort of real coordination or global strategy. Clive's campaign in India had nothing to do with Frederick the Great in Prussia but Britain's WW1 campaigns against Turkey were aimed at helping Russia and by extension the BEF on the western front.

I agree with this statement.

Also one important factor of WW1 and WW2 that aren't so significant in the wars listed here is the "total war" aspect which affected most parts of the world. Things like conscription of far away civilians, disruption to the global economy and control of information by the state. Perhaps the Napoleonic wars come closer than the other wars described, but they are still nowhere near as global as WW1.
 
When did they start calling ww1 ww1? Was'nt it originally the great war?
Anyhow, the nomenclature of it seems kind of arbitrary. Who originally defined it?

Earlier wars were always broken down by theatre: the silesian wars/ french and Indian war, etc, and only generically called 7 years war. For prussia, it wasn't one war, but two separate ones. As someone else said, it wasn't one coordinated side vs another. It was more a bunch of countries fighting for their own gains and often dropping in and out based on when they got what they wanted.

All depends on definition, and who gets to define it. I'd call nap wars one. You had two defined alliances and the complete conclusion, sans war of 1812, was concluded at one grand conference with a clear winning side and a clear losing side (complete capitulation, which is a feature ofboth ww)
 
Many of the Earlier wars (post mediveal) were centered around the struggle between the Habsurgs and (royal) France (latter winning sort of ;)) and their various allies (including the Ottomans sometimes) - OR the HAbsburgs/Russias vs Ottomans or HAbsburgs (Spanish) vs Brits ;)

onsidering the overall result of those wars their biggest changes were centered in Europe. - with only minor changes around the world.

in This regards I consider the 7 years war the main contender for the "first" real "world war". It shattered the First French colonial Empire and left a dominating British "Empire".

The ARW - had the main actions within the 13 colonies - with a bit action elsewhere - While it was important in being the first real defeat of the British (since the 100 years war) it was not really worldcovering.

The same with the French Revolutinary/Napoleonic wars (part of a greater war, but essentially the same). While some action is fought worldwide - the greater world is not really affected by the outcome - Europe was shaped anew, but the rest of the world stayed mostly the same.

NO world wars in the 19th century

WWI - no doubt about this - both sides had a world spanning campaign - someplaces quite short, but only due to overwhelming superiority of the Entente powers - and both Europe and the World were changed (German colonial empire destroyed, ...)

Well the Second World War - IMHO had a much more limited scope than TGW - basically it was two wars fought at the same time where one side had a strong cooperation and their enemies were allied mostly "on paper". Casualties were high true, but that alone does not qualify (Mongol conquests, Chinese wars,...)

Well if you consider that afterwards only two instead of three dominating political systems remained - the you get it properly named ;)

War on terror, sorry that implicates that terrorists are soldiers - thats no war thats a police action (war would give the terrorists too much "honor")
 
When did they start calling ww1 ww1? Was'nt it originally the great war?
Anyhow, the nomenclature of it seems kind of arbitrary. Who originally defined it?

Earlier wars were always broken down by theatre: the silesian wars/ french and Indian war, etc, and only generically called 7 years war. For prussia, it wasn't one war, but two separate ones. As someone else said, it wasn't one coordinated side vs another. It was more a bunch of countries fighting for their own gains and often dropping in and out based on when they got what they wanted.

All depends on definition, and who gets to define it. I'd call nap wars one. You had two defined alliances and the complete conclusion, sans war of 1812, was concluded at one grand conference with a clear winning side and a clear losing side (complete capitulation, which is a feature ofboth ww)

Some were calling it the "first World War" almost as soon as the moment the guns fell silent in France.
 
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