World war

The world wars are both major conflicts which saw to clash a great number of countries all over the world, also causing exceptional disasters by their importance, as well human as material.

First World War (1914 - 1918)
Second world war (1939 - 1945)

Before the Second world war, the First World War was called the Great War .

Later meanings

This employment is more media than real. Differentiation relates to the context of the speaker.

Possible world wars:

Third World war: synonymous arts person for the period of the Cold war ;
Third World war (2001 -, War against terrorism): employment in American presidential discourses ;
Fourth World war (2001 -, War against terrorism): employment in the press articles written on geopolitics .

See too

War,
List of the wars,
use (discussed) of the term “All-out war” to qualify them.

Simple: World War

Random links:

Endless Wire | KTM 450 exc racing | Antoni Zygmund | Maurice Liand | Amédée of Savoy (1943)