# The Second World War II! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 29, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323 "2014-07-29T14:36:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/1 "2014-07-29T14:36:04Z")
You know the one, 1939-1945, when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor and all that. What term do you prefer to use when referring to the conflict - and by extension its prequel (when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry)? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/2 "2014-07-29T14:39:53Z")
I’m okay with WWI and WWII, being of the generation that was around for WWII. I had an uncle who was wounded pretty bad in WWI and all of my uncles on my Dad’s side (including Dad) were active in WWII. What are the alternative names? ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/3 "2014-07-29T15:20:17Z")
You left out the option for “Versuch Nummer Zwei”, but I would still call it World War 2. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/4 "2014-07-29T15:29:23Z")
At various times I will use any of the poll options, but probably WWII in writing its name. I would say, “World War 2” but not write that. I’ll go ahead and vote now that I wish there had been another option or multiple choice. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/5 "2014-07-29T15:47:45Z")
Winter War, Continuation War and Lapland War. We like wars so much we had three while you guys just had one. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/6 "2014-07-29T15:56:27Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > You left out the option for “Versuch Nummer Zwei”, but I would still call it World War 2. ? Don’t Germans usually call it der Zweiten Weltkrieg (Second Woldwar)? > [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > Winter War, Continuation War and Lapland War. We like wars so much we had three while you guys just had one. True. Don’t fuck with Finland. ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/7 "2014-07-29T16:23:03Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > You left out the option for “Versuch Nummer Zwei”, but I would still call it World War 2. > [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > ? > Don’t Germans usually call it der Zweiten Weltkrieg (Second Woldwar)? Sure, officially they do. I thought you meant behind closed doors. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/8 "2014-07-29T16:45:10Z")
I talk about the 2nd World War and write about WWII. When talking about the 1st World War, I prefer Lawrence Welk’s interpretation - And now some-a hits from-a World War Eye. hehehe. ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/9 "2014-07-29T17:02:32Z")
I say, and write, “Second World War” when I’m being fancy. Otherwise, I would pronounce it “world wore too”. But how I would spell it out depends on the context: **World War II** is for ordinary writing. **WWII** is for more informal usage, and for phrases like “a WWII-era uniform”. **World War 2** and **World War Two** are abominations which should never see the light of day. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/10 "2014-07-29T18:03:27Z")
World War II. One must always use Roman numerals when talking about important things like world wars and Super Bowls. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/11 "2014-07-29T18:05:14Z")
Depends on context. I’m much more likely to say “Second World War” than to type it; somehow it seems more pretentious in print. In talk, I’ll use “Second World War” and “World War Two” interchangeably. In comments online, I’m much more likely to say “World War II” the first time, then use “WWII” subsequently. “WW2” looks wrong to me, though, don’t ask me why. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/12 "2014-07-29T19:11:18Z")
The Great War Part Deux! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/13 "2014-07-29T19:19:53Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > Winter War, Continuation War and Lapland War. We like wars so much we had three while you guys just had one. You guys never Finnish anything. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/14 "2014-07-29T19:23:47Z")
Japan called it the Greater East Asia War at the time. The term Second World War is apparently now more common in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/15 "2014-07-29T19:48:43Z")
World War One was followed a few years later by World War Eye Eye. My dad called the second one ‘the big one’ or ‘the last one we won.’ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/16 "2014-07-29T19:52:50Z")
World War B. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/17 "2014-07-29T21:49:27Z")
I go by World War II and “The War To End All Wars” because I have a sarcastic streak a mile wide. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/18 "2014-07-29T21:58:47Z")
It is clearly World War 2.0 ---
**Author:** ![common\_good](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@common\_good](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/common_good)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/19 "2014-07-29T22:00:22Z")
It doesn’t matter what it’s called. What is WAS is The World War, part II. Same war, long intermission. Plenty of time for concessions. But nobody went to the lobby, so there weren’t any sold. Don’t like my comment ? Bite me. ---
**Author:** ![common\_good](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@common\_good](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/common_good)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323/20 "2014-07-29T22:01:43Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > It is clearly World War 2.0 No, not all. Hip-ness fades. You’ll see. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-second-world-war-ii/694323.md?page=2)