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I think I saw on QI that WWI was already being called that before the war had ended.
People at the time knew there would probably be another one someday.
Which isn't that odd, really. We use the Term WWIII at times. It's not that we know it will definitely happen but it's not something that's unfathomable either.
I've always heard it was called the Great War.
You heard correct. I have never heard any contemporary account from the time call it "WW1" - they did call it "the war to end all wars," though.
I found this citation referring to a book published in 1920, though I couldn't find the text of the book itself online.
What I find more interesting is the use of the phrase "millenial folk".
Really? That would be an extremely concerning thing to hear anyone say back then.
"Great" did not automatically imply "good" back then - just big.
Good point. Of course, with the number of nuclear war-heads we've built, I would feel pretty confident referring to it as "World War Final".
I actually usually just refer to it as "our extinction event". But I'll acknowledge I'm going out on a limb - there's plenty of other ways we could finish ourselves off.