The Nine World Wars

[allhailIndia]

There are basically only 2 world wars, because, they impacted the whole world directly and not because of a colonial power alone. Take India for example. The Japanese were at the Eastern borders threatening to overrun us not just because of the British, but to plunder the country for its resources and slave-labour. Almost every continent, every ocean was a scene of these wars. THe scale in which slaughter and loss took place is unparalleled on all sides. NO other has caused so much change or so mush damage.

 

[Internazi]

1. The 1st and 2nd world wars made use of "total war", where all the parts of a country's society is pointed towards warfare

2. The 1st and 2nd world wars were a lot more destructive than any other war fought before.

 

[sgrig]

I would have to say that the 7 Years' War could be considered as a world war.

It was fought in Europe, Asia and America between an alliance of England and Prussia and an alliance of Russia, France and Austria.

France battled it out with England in America and Asia, while Austria and Russia took on Prussia in Europe.

So I think this could be considered as a world war. Of course the scale of fighting was nowhere near WW1 or WW2 but by standards of 18th c, it was a violent war.

It also had a huge impact on the world afterwards. France ceased to be a major colonial power in America and Britain started gaining supremacy in India. In Europe, it was more of a stalemate in the end, mainly because the Russian Empress died and her successor was a foolish admirer of Frederick II and gave back all of Russia's conquests in Prussia. If not for that idiot, the history of Europe could've been radically different (either for better or for worse).