Voltaire and WW2 is actually WW3

[foxwolfen]

I wrote this yesterday in the Twenty First Century Bohemian Productions forum, but thought it might be fun to share it with you all here too.

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So, this evenings research led to yet another interesting place.

It all started with an in-depth look at the Indian Caste System to check for accuracy of some statements made by a character i am writing about.

This somehow lead to Voltaire...

Reading about Voltaire, of course, leads one back to the British Empire, a Constitutional Monarchy much admired by him.

As I continue to learn about him, and some of his works and saying, it somehow leads to Canada as Voltaire is (apparently) a part of 'Common Canadian Culture' in that he dissed us bad, calling us a poor investment for La Belle France (we were little more than "a few acres of snow"). I guess for some people there is irony in the fact we're almost as wealthy as them now hehehe.

Anyway, as I was reading about the Canadian cultural aspect of this, it naturally lead to the Seven Years War, which of course is the turning point of French colonial ambitions (for the worse) and the rise of the British Empire as supreme.

This lead back to India as part of the war was fought by France, against England in India. This part of the war is the second of the two major battles of this war that history writes songs about.

As I am reading up on this I come across a statement by Winston Churchill that the seven year war is actually the First World War, as it was fought on all continents, by multiple nations.

Which means the Great War, is actually WW2 and WW2 is actually WW3...

I wonder when history will correct that little discrepancy.

Cheers
Shad

[jimslost]

Now I must dig though my gee-whiz files to find out who else gave the label World War I to the Seven Years War. Samual Eliot Morison maybe? The sad thing is I just came across it within the last year ....

[foxwolfen]

It is interesting that now that I have seen it once, I am finding it everywhere.

I am somewhat boggled that this could have escaped my attention for so long, as this is not what one might call trivial or even particularly obscure. Why does history still call the Great War WW1? To expensive to change the millions of books? ;D ;D ;D

[windrunner]

Voltaire...a man I'd invite to have a cup of tea.

Not sure about the origin of "WWI" and "WWII" terms. But,if you look back with perspective, those were certainly the first "european" wars in wich EEUU, as a nation, was fully involved. May be an "american" historic view? just guessing.

Time for research...let's see what comes out from here.

edit: in Europe, WWI is usually known as "The Great War" or simple the 1914\1918 war. I wonder if WWI was a real "world" conflict... of course there were battles in Africa, and SE Asia, but mainly europeans countries fighting each other. Russia was the only non european power to be involved besides Turkey and USA. And, imho, it doesn't means WWI was a "world" conflict: WWII involved another non-european countries like Japan and China.

While english speakers knows the terms WWII or Second World War, it seems that the use of the american english language (or a closest thing) make this terms worldwide popular. And effective. Of course, it doesn't means to be true.... ;D