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In the west, it's called World War 2. For Russians, this is called the Great Patriotic War...but does this only refer to the Eastern European Front 1941 Jun 22 to 1945 May 9?

Is the Battle of Britain, for example, considered part of the Great Patriotic War? What about the Japanese Pacific theater? Do Russians have a term for WW2 that encompasses the greater global conflict?

Or, even closer, what about the Winter War (first war with Finland in 1939)? Or something like the Battle of Lake Khasan that was at the Far East fighting the Japanese in 1938? Are these considered part of the Great Patriotic War?

(sorry I have no idea what tag to use so I just used "nouns")

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The term "Великая Отечественная война" (Great Patriotic War) refers only to the war between USSR and the Nazi Germany, together with it's European allies (fascist Italy, Romania etc.) It started at June 22, 1941 and finished at May 9, 1945.

So the answers are:

In the west, it's called World War 2. For Russians, this is called the Great Patriotic War...but does this only refer to the Eastern European Front 1941 Jun 22 to 1945 May 9?

Yes.

Is the Battle of Britain, for example, considered part of the Great Patriotic War? What about the Japanese Pacific theater?

Or, even closer, what about the Winter War (first war with Finland in 1939)? Or something like the Battle of Lake Khasan that was at the Far East fighting the Japanese in 1938? Are these considered part of the Great Patriotic War?

All of these are not considered parts of the Great Patriotic War.

Do Russians have a term for WW2 that encompasses the greater global conflict?

The term is Вторая мировая война (World War II). Why would somebody invent another term, if there is an internationally accepted one?

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    Воюющими сторонами в WWII были (а) страны «оси» и их союзники; (б) антигитлеровская коалиция. ВОВ это подмножество участников и театров военных действий WWII. Очевидно, что круг участников ВОВ ошибочно ограничивать только гитлеровской Германией и СССР. Фактически, СССР воевал на европейском театре в.д. со всей Европой, за исключением пары неприсоединившихся к «оси» стран.
    – Avtokod
    Aug 7, 2015 at 2:01
  • @Avtokod - Исправил текст.
    – user31264
    Aug 7, 2015 at 2:33
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    «Вторая мировая война», а не «Вторая Мировая Война». «Великая Отечественная война», а не «Великая Отечественная Война».
    – Yellow Sky
    Aug 7, 2015 at 5:15
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    @Avtokod Германия, Италия, Финляндия, Венгрия, Румыния, Болгария и Первая словацкая республика - это далеко не "вся Европа". Кроме того румынские войска с 1944 года активно сражались уже на стороне СССР. Вижу, придумываете собственную историю. В духе времени, как говорится.. :)
    – Serg Z.
    Aug 8, 2015 at 16:41
  • @SergZ. , это уж в духе совсем советской пропаганды, про "освобождение" Европы :)) Не бойтесь смотреть на факты, какое освобождение? Это был военный поход в лагерь противника. Проверьте национальный % состав военнопленных и вчитайтесь в названия дивизий под гитлеровскими флагами: румынская, венгерская и т.д. Да и Европа полностью отказывается от понятия "освобождение". Лагерь противника был переформатирован в Варшавский договор. Логика, логика, прежде всего, а пропаганду оставьте для физкультурников )))
    – Avtokod
    Aug 8, 2015 at 19:41
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Besides "Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" there is also "Отечественная война 1812" (i.e. "Patriotic War 1812") which refers to the Frensch invasion of Russia (part of the Napoleonic Wars). Clearly, that is not a mere coincidence. And as the term "Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" doesn't include, say, Soviet-Japan war in August-Septemper 1945 (Manchuria, Korea, Sakhalin, Kuriles - part of WWII), likewise the term "Patriotic War 1812" doesn't include the Russian Campaign of 1813-1814 in Germany and France (part of the Napoleonic Wars) which directly followed the Napoleon's defeat in Russia.

That is the word "Отечественная" (Patriotic) here specifically mentions the general mobilization and a large-scale involvement of irregular guerilla troops in Russia. Hope that makes clear why the Battle of Britain can not be considered the part of it.

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