Q&A · 3:12:49-3:13:03

Where did the 'war to end all wars' belief appear?

European and English-language sources from the 1920s contain the phrase, reflecting a Western perspective on the expectation of peace.

Historical Sources Interwar Naval Policy World War I

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Question

Does the phrase 'war to end all wars' appear in sources from the 1920s?

Short answer

Yes, in European and English-language sources, although that evidence reflects a Western perspective.

Notes

The phrase appears in a fair number of European and English-language sources from the 1920s. Those examples support a Western perspective on the postwar expectation of peace. They do not establish that the belief was shared worldwide.