When did people realize during World War II that it was a world war and not just a regular war?

I previously mentioned that because China did not participate in the war, there is a common misconception among the Chinese people that the Third World War is far away from them. In fact, perhaps the Third World War has already begun.

Recall that in February 2025, Trump forced Zelensky to negotiate with Russia to end the Russia-Ukraine war. He repeatedly questioned Zelensky about whether he wanted to drag everyone into World War III. This shows that the United States is very vigilant about WW3.

So, when did people realize during the last World War that it was a world war and not just an ordinary war?

Before the full outbreak of World War II, a series of wars had already erupted. After September 18, 1931, the Japanese army invaded Northeast China, and from July 7, 1937, they began a full-scale invasion of China. The Spanish Civil War occurred in 1936. During the same period, Hitler conducted a series of military probes in Europe.

So how did people understand the scale of war at that time?

1. The Blitzkrieg of Poland in September 1939, the Illusion of Europeans

In Asia, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937 marked the full-scale invasion of China by Japanese troops. People regarded this as the War of Resistance against Japan and an anti-aggression war, without linking it to the World War.

On September 1, 1939, Germany launched a blitzkrieg against Poland, and on September 3, Britain and France declared war on Germany.

From the perspective of Europeans, although Britain and France have declared war on Germany, they did not immediately launch a large-scale offensive (Britain and France's policy of appeasement hoped that Germany would attack the Soviet Union). Europeans believed that the war was limited to the conflict between Germany and Poland.

At the end of September 1939, Poland was crushed between Germany and the Soviet Union, leading to its demise. From the perspective of the Poles, this was a war for national survival and did not fall under the category of a world war.

Subsequently, Germany attacked Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, and most people only considered it a local war in Europe. Before December 7, 1941, the European and Asian battlefields were fighting their own battles.

2. The 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which drew the world into World War II

On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and the United States declared war on Japan; on December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. Thus, the Asia-Pacific theater and the European theater were combined into one war.

The United States began a nationwide mobilization. The public became aware through broadcasts and news films that the homeland was under attack for the first time, and the war transformed from a distant conflict to a survival threat.

In Asia, Japan attacked Hong Kong, the Philippines, Myanmar, and other British and American colonies, officially connecting the Asian battlefield with the European battlefield. The Chinese government formally declared war on Japan. For the first time, the Chinese people clearly felt that the War of Resistance Against Japan was part of the global anti-fascist war.

Around this time, the global media began to use the term "World War" to describe the conflict. It can be said that by this point, most people around the world realized they were in a world war rather than a regular war.

3. Identity Recognition: Formation of the World Anti-Fascist Alliance in 1942

On November 25, 1936, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact. From 1937 to 1940, Italy, Hungary, and Spain joined. In 1941, Bulgaria, the Wang Jingwei regime, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Romania, and Slovakia joined.

On September 27, 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact (also known as the Berlin Pact) in Berlin, marking the official establishment of the Axis Powers.

On January 1, 1942, 26 countries including China, the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom signed the "Declaration by United Nations," officially naming the Allied Powers.

At this point, the world has officially formed two opposing military groups: the Allies and the Axis powers.

In 1942, a public opinion poll conducted by China's "Dagang Daily" showed that 98% of participants believed that "the Anti-Fascist Alliance would surely win," and over half believed that China could be the first to counterattack Japan. The public shifted from the idea of "fighting alone" to recognizing a "global alliance," with the flags of China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union appearing together in propaganda posters.

In Europe, underground resistance movements in various countries (such as the French Liberation Movement) saw the broadcasts from Allied radio stations (like the BBC) as a spiritual pillar, viewing their local struggles as part of a global strategy.

4. Considering the Changes in the Situation from the Perspective of World Wars

Once people realize that they are in the midst of a world war, they will think about the progress of the war from the perspective of the global political and economic situation, rather than being limited to the struggles of their own country and nation.

It is precisely for this reason that we see actors in film and television works saying: "The Pacific War has broken out! The day of reckoning for the Japanese invaders is coming soon!" This reflects a perspective on the course of war from the viewpoint of a world war.

Therefore, people care about distant events such as the Battle of Stalingrad (February 1943), the Battle of Midway (June 1942), the North African front, and the Normandy landings.

V. The Third World War May Have Already Begun

WW2, the European theater began on September 1, 1939, while the Asian theater started with the September 18 Incident in 1931. However, it was not until December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, that the Chinese government officially declared war on Japan, and people realized that China's resistance was part of the world war.

Today, when we look at the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Iran-Iraq War, they seem very distant from us. Even those in the war zone may not necessarily think this is part of a third world war.

But who knows? Perhaps the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Iran war will soon be connected. For example, the troublemakers, the UK, France, and Germany, are actively participating in the Russia-Ukraine war and providing support to Ukraine. In the past two days, they have also been actively involved in the Israel-Iran war, providing support to Israel, with Germany even offering air support for Israeli aircraft.

The same group of people appeared in two wars not far apart; does this mean the two wars are connected?

As of now, a certain country is outside of these two wars, but both wars are subtly aimed at this certain country.

Perhaps years later, the surviving humans will emerge from their underground shelters, looking at the ravaged crust of the Earth, unable to help but curse loudly: "nnd, what were you doing stirring up trouble in Ukraine for no good reason?"