What defines "World War" by a number? ( WWl, WWll, )?

Question

Someone just pointed out to me the war in Iraq has gone on longer than WWll, and we are preparing to invade Iran next.

Is this WWlll?

Answer 1

no world war is simply because almost every country had a part in the war and most people believe that if there ever is a wwIII than wed better prepare for a nuclear winter(thats why the cold war was so scary every country was on edge).....and it really isnt the war on iraq you know its the war on terrorism its just located in iraq

Answer 2

WW1 was named the Great War, until WW2 happened, so the Great War was re-named.

The War on Iraq isn't a war, it's to let the Iraqies know that the Americans are all big, over powered, doughnut eating, obese freaks that want everybody else to listen to them. And what happens, Tony ****** Blair jumps right up GB's **** and starts sucking up to him.

And people wonder why we're being over powered by foreigners (We meaning the UK).

Answer 3

If you want to get technical the "Cold War" that lasted from roughly the Berlin Airlift of 1947 to 1990 when the Soviet Union disintegrated could be considered World War III since there was conflict of one kind or another going on all over the world under direct or indirect sponsorship of either the US or the USSR. So the next one would be WW IV, but it would still take a larger number of countries involved beyond the US and Iran to really be considered a world war rather than just a regional one. Just my humble opinion.

Answer 4

A world war is where basically the whole world is fighting (hence the name...)

Just because we are fighting (along with some of our allies) in Iraq does not mean that we are in a world war.

Length doesn't matter, by the way.

Answer 5

"world war" refers to the fact that practically the entire world was at war, and has nothing to do with length.  Example:  the hundred years war, thirty years war, crusades, and vietnam all lasted longer than Iraq or the world wars, but were not called world wars.