Prewar

Prewar is an adjective and a noun describing the period immediately preceding a war, or the conditions associated with that period. The term is used across history, politics, and cultural studies. The exact dates and features of a prewar period depend on the conflict and the region.

Common features include rising political tension, military buildup, competitive diplomacy, and the formation of alliances or blocs. Economies may experience growth or instability, and social life and technology can be shaped by the expectation of conflict. Public discourse often centers on security, diplomacy, and defense planning.

In Europe before World War I, roughly from the late 19th century to 1914, imperial competition, nationalism, industrialization, and a dense system of alliances created a volatile environment. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand is seen as a trigger, but the prewar conditions were the result of long-standing tensions.

In the lead-up to World War II, the 1930s are commonly described as the prewar era in Europe and East Asia. The period was marked by economic distress from the Great Depression, militarization, expansionist policy by several states, and appeasement diplomacy ahead of large-scale conflict.

Because the concept is relative to a specific war, prewar has no universal dates. It is a framework for examining how political decisions, economic trends, and social changes converge to create the conditions that culminate in war.