WWII... aka?

[cosmichobo]

G'day,

World War I is/was historically known as the First World War, the Great War, the War to End All Wars.

What did people call WWII in the immediate decades that followed it? Was it immediately referred to as World War II? Or was there another popular name for it, that has faded away.

cheers & thanks

cosmic

[pengu]

i believe the name you're looking for is "Gary".

[Salamander]

It was given the name WW2 very early on, Monday 11th Sep 1939 to be precise. It was actually given the name by Time Magazine in an article describing the German invasion of Poland (see the link). The name stuck, particularly in English speaking countries. But other countries gave it other names - eg Russia have always called it the Great Patriotic War.

Grey Friday - TIME

[cosmichobo]

Thanks Salamander!

No idea what you're on, pengu...??

[tintinaujapon]

Japanese use the term WWII for 39-45 in general, but they refer to their own wars of conquest in Asia which began a decade earlier as The Greater East Asia War and their role as an Axis power as The Pacific War.

It's a good question Cosmic. People were asking a similar question at the beginning of this decade about what those alive a century ago called the years 00-09. I can't believe they called in the 'Naughties'. And what about the following decade?

[euphospug]

the teenies