history and dynamicas of WWII

[stout]

To what degree could you call the military alliances, activities and national commitments a "world war" before December 7, 1941?

[WaldoMcFroog]

In terms of etymology, the term 'World War' first appears in 1909 as a speculation, probably a translation of German word 'Weltkrieg'. It was applied to the first one soon after it began in 1914.

'World War I' as a specific phrase was coined in 1939, replacing 'Great War' as the most common name for it; 'First World War' first attested 1947. 'World War II' so-called since 1939; 'Second World War' is from 1942.

If you are using some specific definition of what consitutes a 'World War', I am unaware of it and cannot therefore comment.

[El D]

I think he is referring to the period of phoney war which preceded any real action. Nice homework tho. I would advise you to look at exactly what scope the post 1941 'world war' took place on and compare the two with references to what 'war' actually means.

[Bangkok]

I think the phoney war was long over by then, as was the Battle of Britain.  Perhaps the question refers to period prior to the US joining the war after Pearl Harbour.  Could it be a World War without the US?

Clearly by this stage most of  Europe and the Commonwealth were engaged in combat.  Hitler had already broken the non-aggression pact with Russia, so they were fully involved. 

I am quite happy to be corrected, but it seems the only major power not involved pre-December 1941 was the US.  You might like to research the relative size of the economies before the war (war clearly distorts the economy) and population and decide if you think a war without the US is a World War.  (a hint - it probably is a World War, as what else do you call it?).  Factor in that the US was helping with provisions and excorts of shipping.

[Flurfl]

Here's a good Wiki on World war. Interestingly there are a number of wars prior to WW I and WW II that could be considered world wars, most particularly the Seven Years war between Great Britain, Prussia, Portugal and Hanover against France, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Saxony The Netherlands and Russia. It was fought in India, The Philippines, North America, Africa and the Caribbean as well as Europe. It also started in North America as well. Churchill called it the First World War. Obviously the list of countries isn't as long as the wars in this century, but as most of them were still colonies at the time of the Seven Years war so that's hardly surprising. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War

[JohnPPotts]

Even 1939 as a start date is debateable - leaving aside the German occupations of Austria and Czechoslovakia (which were mostly bloodless), the Japanese had been conquering slices of Asia for several years before (invading Manchuria in 1931 and the rest of China in 1937 - they'd been in Korea even longer) and if you consider the millions of people affected (and war crimes committed) you could reasonably claim that as the start of the World War.

[magicbeatle]

I agree with bangkok, but would like to add that before America's involvement in 1941, there were two separate wars going on. The war in europe (Germany, France, Russia and Great Britain) and the war in asia (Japan, China etc), were only brought together when Germany declared war on America after Pearl harbour, thus tieing two separate wars together.