History Main / TheWarToEndAllWars

* UsefulNotes/WW1 was said to be this by some. [[UsefulNotes/WW2 Obviously, not quite.]]
** The phrase was originally coined by Creator/HGWells as early as August 1914 in a series of newspaper articles that were collected into the brochure ''The War That Will End War''. It then became "The War to End War" and "The War to End All Wars" and later became associated with UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson, who actually only used it once in a speech. But some soon took a more cynical point of view. The future Field Marshal Earl Wavell commented about the 1919 Peace Conference: "After the 'war to end war', they seem to have been in Paris at making the 'Peace to end Peace'", a sentiment that was also echoed by the exiled Kaiser in the Netherlands.

* There has been one war between the Great Powers since UsefulNotes/WorldWar2- or, more accurately between a Superpower and a Great Power. The UsefulNotes/KoreanWar pitted primarily American forces[[note]]small contingents of soldiers from many other nations, including the Great Powers of France and Britain[[/note]] against the newly formed People's Republic of China. By the end, 40,000 UN[[note]]mostly American[[/note]] and 400,000 Chinese soldiers were dead- as well as millions of Korean soldiers and civilians from both sides[[note]]but, of course, neither North nor South Korea were Great Powers[[/note]]. Notably though, this took place entirely on the Korean Peninsula, so although the soldiers were from all over the world, the conflict was not. This is subverted by InsistentTerminology in case of the Korean War. It was not a " war," but "police action," United States and its allies fought in it only as part of the United Nations force, Russian pilots [[BlatantLies simply fight in this war at all]], and all Chinese soldiers were technically "volunteers.". In fact, adding the fact that neither Korea saw the other as a legitimate entity, no "country" foughtin Korea at all, to paraphrase Russian scholar Andrei Lankov.

* There has been one war between the Great Powers since UsefulNotes/WorldWar2- or, more accurately between a Superpower and a Great Power. The UsefulNotes/KoreanWar pitted primarily American forces[[note]]small contingents of soldiers from many other nations, including the Great Powers of France and Britain[[/note]] against the newly formed People's Republic of China. By the end, 40,000 UN[[note]]mostly American[[/note]] and 400,000 Chinese soldiers were dead- as well as millions of Korean soldiers and civilians from both sides[[note]]but, of course, neither North nor South Korea were Great Powers[[/note]]. Notably though, this took place entirely on the Korean Peninsula, so although the soldiers were from all over the world, the conflict was not.
** This is subverted by InsistentTerminology in case of the Korean War. It was not a " war," but "police action," United States and its allies fought in it only as part of the United Nations force, Russian pilots [[BlatantLies simply fight in this war at all]], and all Chinese soldiers were technically "volunteers.". In fact, adding the fact that neither Korea saw the other as a legitimate entity, no "country" foughtin Korea at all, to paraphrase Russian scholar Andrei Lankov.

** This is subverted by InsistentTerminology in case of the Korean War. It was not a " war," but "police action," United States and its allies fought in it only as part of the United Nations force, Russian pilots [BlatantLies simply fight in this war at all], and all Chinese soldiers were technically "volunteers.". In fact, adding the fact that neither Korea saw the other as a legitimate entity, no "country" foughtin Korea at all, to paraphrase Russian scholar Andrei Lankov.

* In ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars'', the Abh have declared that should they win the galaxy-spanning war the series depicts, it will be the ''last'' war humanity ever fights... at least with itself. Because if the Abh win, the entire human race will be unified under their government, which admittedly has done a pretty good job having no civil wars with itself for nearly a thousand years. As the series continues, it remains to be seen who will eventually win the war.

* The "Autumn Rain" trilogy by David J. Williams culminates in WW III, with weaponized space. The nuclear destruction of a continent takes roughly three paragraphs of writing, and perhaps a few hours. Most of the Earth is more or less saturated with nuclear weapons, space-dropped kinetic energy weapons, high powered directed energy pin-point strikes against anything trying to shoot down those weapons, and deliberate destruction of any and all communications and electronic infrastructure either physically or through hacking. The fate of the moon and the fleets stationed at the libation points is not much better...though it takes a few days for them.

* As of now it really is final, but really: what are the odds that the DC multiverse won't have a crisis after ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''?
** If ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' is any indication, the Crisis events will function as they did before, but won't have Crisis in the title.

* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' has a Final War, and as far as the planet Earth is concerned it really was, so far. For human colonized space, not so much.

* ''Creator/TomClancy's VideoGame/EndWar'' seems to have this going for it.

** FromACertainPointOfView, UsefulNotes/WW2 itself was a final war. Before then a new conflict between at least two of the major powers would pop off every few decades; since then, war between the Great Powers has been avoided for the most part.
*** Of course, there are still wars and conflict, but their scope has become highly limited, and Western Europe hasn't seen a major war since the fall of Berlin (this represents the longest stretch of time without a war in the area in several centuries).
*** That said, some of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century through today have been civil wars, involving two or more groups within a single country. Sometimes the international community is able to intervene (for better or worse), but other times there is little anyone outside the conflict is able or willing to do.
*** In Soviet culture, UsefulNotes/WW2 was often referred to as "the war against war itself" or "a war to be never repeated".
** Also, there has been one war between the Great Powers since UsefulNotes/WorldWar2- or, more accurately between a Superpower and a Great Power. The UsefulNotes/KoreanWar pitted primarily American forces[[note]]small contingents of soldiers from many other nations, including the Great Powers of France and Britain[[/note]] against the newly formed People's Republic of China. By the end, 40,000 UN[[note]]mostly American[[/note]] and 400,000 Chinese soldiers were dead- as well as millions of Korean soldiers and civilians from both sides[[note]]but, of course, neither North nor South Korea were Great Powers[[/note]]. Notably though, this took place entirely on the Korean Peninsula, so although the soldiers were from all over the world, the conflict was not.

* As of now it really is final, but really: what are the odds that the DC multiverse won't have a crisis after ''FinalCrisis''?
** If ''{{Flashpoint}}'' is any indication, the Crisis events will function as they did before, but won't have Crisis in the title.

The TropeNamer was UsefulNotes/WorldWarI, as noted in the RealLife section. Which wasn't, so they called it World War I instead.

The TropeNamer was UsefulNotes/WorldWarI, as noted in the RealLife section. Which wasn't, so they called it UsefulNotes/WorldWarII instead.

The TropeNamer was WorldWarI, as noted in the RealLife section. Which wasn't, so they called it WorldWarII instead.

* Frank Herbert's ''{{Dune}}'' series. ''Children of Dune'' mentions Kralizec: in the oldest Fremen beliefs it is the Typhoon Struggle, the war at the end of the universe.

* ''TheLastBattle'' in ''{{Narnia}}''

* WW1 was said to be this by some. [[WW2 Obviously, not quite.]]
** FromACertainPointOfView, WW2 itself was a final war. Before then a new conflict between at least two of the major powers would pop off every few decades; since then, war between the Great Powers has been avoided for the most part.

*** In Soviet culture, WW2 was often referred to as "the war against war itself" or "a war to be never repeated".
** Also, there has been one war between the Great Powers since WorldWar2- or, more accurately between a Superpower and a Great Power. The KoreanWar pitted primarily American forces[[note]]small contingents of soldiers from many other nations, including the Great Powers of France and Britain[[/note]] against the newly formed People's Republic of China. By the end, 40,000 UN[[note]]mostly American[[/note]] and 400,000 Chinese soldiers were dead- as well as millions of Korean soldiers and civilians from both sides[[note]]but, of course, neither North nor South Korea were Great Powers[[/note]]. Notably though, this took place entirely on the Korean Peninsula, so although the soldiers were from all over the world, the conflict was not.

* The war between the [[{{TheEmpire}} the Draka]] and the [[{{TheAlliance}} Alliance for Democracy]] in S.M. Stirling's [[{{The Draka}} The Stone Dogs]] is called "The Final War", as afterwards there is no power left on Earth capable of challenging Drakan dominance. From the ashes of the Final War emerges the ''Final Society'', as the Draka genetically engineer themselves and their serfs into two codependent post-human races. Afterwards, the Draka still find themselves in conflict with the descendants of defeated Americans who fled the Solar System to found a colony on Alpha Centauri.

** The war between Manticore and Haven was initially supposed to be this, too. Time and again, DavidWeber reminded us that the only possible outcomes are either the end of the Star Kingdom of Manticore, or the end of the People's Republic of Haven. In the end that was technically true, as Haven dropped the "People's."

** The war between Manticore and Haven was initially supposed to be this, too. Time and again, DavidWeber reminded us that the only possible outcomes are either the end of the Star Kingdom of Manticore, or the end of the People's Republic of Haven. In the end that was technically true, as Haven dropped he "People's."

** Also, there has been one war between the Great Powers since WorldWar2- or, more accurately between a Superpower and a Great Power. The KoreanWar pitted primarily American forces[[hottip:*:small contigents of soldiers from many other nations, including the Great Powers of France and Britain]] against the newly formed People's Republic of China. By the end, 40,000 UN[[hottip:*:mostly American]] and 400,000 Chinese soldiers were dead- as well as millions of Korean soldiers and civilians from both sides[[hottip:*:but, of course, neither North nor South Korea were Great Powers]]. Notably though, this took place entirely on the Korean Peninsula, so although the soldiers were from all over the world, the conflict was not.

Any war described in universe as being final, whether or not it actually is. May come under different names, but they are all clearly intended to end the current conflict and prevent future conflict in one fell swoop.

** FromACertainPointOfView, WW2 itself was a final war. Before then a new conflict between at least two of the major powers would pop off every few decades; since then, war between the Great Powers has been avoided. The reason for this is threefold:
#### The development of nuclear weapons, which serves as a deterrent to all direct, large-scale warfare between states that have them. The threat of annihilation, or at least severe loss, is enough to keep everyone from thinking about trying to fire the first shot. Thus far, only two direct armed conflicts have been fought between states with nuclear weapons,[[note]]China and the Soviet Union in 1969, and India and Pakistan in 1997[[/note]] and both were understood from the beginning to be highly-limited border skirmishes. General war runs the risk that someone will abandon the usual no-first-use policy and kill everyone, and nobody wants that.
#### The development of international institutions, most notably the UsefulNotes/UnitedNations, UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion, and {{NATO}}. All three were established in the wake of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII as a response to its horrors (though, the UsefulNotes/LeagueOfNations was similarly founded after UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and utterly failed to prevent the next one). The latter two are key to maintaining peace in Europe from the economic and military angles, respectively. The UN provides a forum for states to hash out their differences by diplomacy--even when direct bilateral diplomacy is impossible, countries that don't get along can go through UN-supported backchannels to smooth over differences that could lead to war. This doesn't always work, but the UN's authority to declare a war legitimate or illegitimate also serves as something of a deterrent. This is particularly important because of...
#### The development of international norms that severely restrict when war is seen as legitimate; many of these norms were developed, articulated, and advocated by the UN. The idea that war is only legitimate in self-defense or as punishment for violating international law is a distinctly post-1945 state of affairs, but virtually all states buy into it, and those that don't have to pretend like they do. This psychological/social element has proven to be surprisingly effective.

#### The development of international institutions, most notably the UsefulNotes/UnitedNations, UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion, and {{NATO}}. All three were established in the wake of World War II as a response to its horrors (though, the UsefulNotes/LeagueOfNations was similarly founded after UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and utterly failed to prevent the next one). The latter two are key to maintaining peace in Europe from the economic and military angles, respectively. The UN provides a forum for states to hash out their differences by diplomacy--even when direct bilateral diplomacy is impossible, countries that don't get along can go through UN-supported backchannels to smooth over differences that could lead to war. This doesn't always work, but the UN's authority to declare a war legitimate or illegitimate also serves as something of a deterrent. This is particularly important because of...

--> ''"They said... it's a war to end all wars."''
--> ''"See her, boy? This is Evangelina Parr. She's big. Perhaps even great. But by no means, she is the whore to end all whores."''
--> -- from [[TheWitcher the Witcher Saga]]

#### The development of international institutions, most notably the UnitedNations, the EuropeanUnion, and {{NATO}}. All three were established in the wake of World War II as a response to its horrors (though, the League of Nations was similarly founded after World War I and utterly failed to prevent the next one). The latter two are key to maintaining peace in Europe from the economic and military angles, respectively. The UN provides a forum for states to hash out their differences by diplomacy--even when direct bilateral diplomacy is impossible, countries that don't get along can go through UN-supported backchannels to smooth over differences that could lead to war. This doesn't always work, but the UN's authority to declare a war legitimate or illegitimate also serves as something of a deterrent. This is particularly important because of...

*** Of course, there are still wars and conflict, but their scope has become highly limited, and Western Europe hasn't seen a major war since the fall of Berlin.

* [[TomClancy Tom's Clancy]] EndWar seems to have this going for it.

* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' provides Another non final FinalWar, on Earth.
** The war between Manticore and Haven was initially supposed to be this, too. Time and again, DavidWeber reminds us that the only possible outcomes are either the end of the Star Kingdom of Manticore, or the end of the People's Republic of Haven.

** Also, there has been one war between the Great Powers since WorldWar2- or, more accurately between a Superpower and a Great Power. The KoreanWar pitted primarily American forces[[hottip:*:small contigents of soldiers from many other nations, including the Great Powers of France and Britain]] against the newly formed People's Republic of China. By the end, 40,000 UN[[hottip:*:mostly American]] and 400,000 Chinese soldiers were dead- as well as millions of Korean soldiers and civilians from both sides[[hottip:*:but, of course, neither North nor South Korea were Great Powers]].

#### The development of international institutions, most notably the UnitedNations, the EuropeanUnion, and {{NATO}}. All three were established in the wake of World War II as a response to its horrors. The latter two are key to maintaining peace in Europe from the economic and military angles, respectively. The UN provides a forum for states to hash out their differences by diplomacy--even when direct bilateral diplomacy is impossible, countries that don't get along can go through UN-supported backchannels to smooth over differences that could lead to war. This doesn't always work, but the UN's authority to declare a war legitimate or illegitimate also serves as something of a deterrent. This is particularly important because of...