# Non-Americans: When I hear "The Civil War" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113 "2011-08-18T03:21:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/1 "2011-08-18T03:21:43Z")
…you think of this conflict. (I took out American Dopers because I assume they’ll 100% choose the American Civil War.) List where you live if you leave a message. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/2 "2011-08-18T03:43:10Z")
English and English Civil War. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/3 "2011-08-18T03:46:39Z")
The [Irish Civil War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Civil_War). The term “Civil War Politics” is still sometimes applied to the political configuration in the Republic as two of the main parties draw their existence from a split in the 1920’s. It’s possible that the casualty rate in the Civil War was higher than in the War Of Independence (against British Rule) that immediately preceded it. I live in Ireland, the second civil war I’d think of would be either the American or Spanish. Fourth would be the English. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/4 "2011-08-18T03:59:45Z")
It would depend on context, but absent that I would assume the US one as it just comes up more often. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/5 "2011-08-18T04:06:31Z")
American Civil War. I’m in Canada, so it’s part of our history too due to proximity and the Underground Railroad, as well as bits of involvement here and there. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/6 "2011-08-18T04:39:41Z")
In any historical context, almost certainly the American one. If I flicked on the radio and heard some earnest types discussing “the civil war” I’d probably assume somewhere in Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/7 "2011-08-18T04:40:01Z")
I would secondly think of the Spanish Civil War. However, it would be a lot clearer of it was called the American Civil War. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/8 "2011-08-18T04:48:12Z")
If I hear of it in English with no further information, I think “the war between the States”. In Spanish, Spanish Civil War of 1936-9. Other Spanish-speaking countries tend to have revoluciones rather than guerras civiles. Alzamiento, definitely the Spanish Civil War of 1936-9; levantamiento (both words mean “uprising”), it would be one someplace else. I’m Spanish, currently living in Spain. I’ve lived in the US for a bit over 5 years and in Scotland for 2, among other places. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/9 "2011-08-18T06:10:48Z")
Depends entirely on the context; sometimes, US Civil War; sometimes English. (I’m Canadian.) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/10 "2011-08-18T06:30:21Z")
The Hebrew term “Milchemet Ha’ezrachim” (the Civil War), with no other context, refers exclusively to the ACW; any other civil war would be referred to as the “English Civil War”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/11 "2011-08-18T06:44:14Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The Hebrew term “Milchemet Ha’ezrachim” (the Civil War), with no other context, refers exclusively to the ACW; any other civil war would be referred to as the “English Civil War”, etc. So, in case it ever arises, what would the term in Hebrew be for the Irish Civil War? ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/12 "2011-08-18T17:00:53Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > American Civil War. I’m in Canada, so it’s part of our history too due to proximity and the Underground Railroad, as well as bits of involvement here and there. In English, that’s definitely true. In French, though, “la guerre civile” doesn’t refer to any civil war in particular as the American Civil War is “la guerre de Sécession”. So I wouldn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/13 "2011-08-18T17:03:58Z")
I’m a bad subject of the Crown - I didn’t know there was an English war called the English Civil War. Definitely thought of the American one. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/14 "2011-08-18T17:18:34Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > I’m a bad subject of the Crown - I didn’t know there was an English war called the English Civil War. Definitely thought of the American one. Did you think Charles the First’s head just fell off by itself? 😉 I don’t know, you cut the head off one king and they call you a regicide… ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/15 "2011-08-18T17:27:45Z")
English, but if it were used on here with no other context then I’d assume American. > [@kushiel](#): > > I’m a bad subject of the Crown - I didn’t know there was an English war called the English Civil War. Definitely thought of the American one. Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/16 "2011-08-18T17:33:31Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODOOo-R6kg8) ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/17 "2011-08-18T17:36:30Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Did you think Charles the First’s head just fell off by itself? 😉 > > I don’t know, you cut the head off one king and they call you a regicide… > [@SciFiSam](#): > > Seriously? I skipped the good year of history in school. I got the industrial revolution, then the history of Canada. I really only have a vague knowledge of the monarchy - if they didn’t make it into a movie, I probably only have a cursory knowledge of it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/18 "2011-08-18T17:38:42Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Seriously? She’s Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/19 "2011-08-18T17:45:27Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > I skipped the good year of history in school. I got the industrial revolution, then the history of Canada. I really only have a vague knowledge of the monarchy - if they didn’t make it into a movie, I probably only have a cursory knowledge of it. It’s true, there aren’t many movies about the English Civil War, which is strange really. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > She’s Canadian. I guessed she wasn’t British, but I was still surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113/20 "2011-08-18T18:48:11Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > It’s true, there aren’t many movies about the English Civil War, which is strange really. Possibly because it would be quite difficult to turn Oliver Cromwell into a hero. “We fight for Puritanism, the abolition of Christmas, and the oppression of the Irish!” An important historical figure, but not one that can easily be turned into a Braveheart. I voted for the American Civil War, because it’s the only one I’ve heard referred to as such without any other context. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-when-i-hear-the-civil-war/593113.md?page=2)