William II. (Wilhelm). 1859-1941. German Emperor 1888-1918. Dismissed Bismarck. Sought world leadership. Precipitated WWI. Abdicated. -“I rule by God’s grace”.

Willkie, Wendell. 1892-1944. New Deal critic. US Presidential candidate 1940. One World 1943.

World Bank. 1944. United Nations agency established at Bretton Woods.

World Council of Churches. 1948. Amsterdam.

World Court. 1899 Permanent Court of Arbitration. 1921 Hague Conference created Permanent Court of International Justice. 1945 International Court of Justice.

World Exhibition at Paris. 1855, 67, 89.

World War I. 1914-18. Allies-France, British Empire, Russia, Italy, US(1917-) vs Central Powers-Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire. Caused by Nationalist movements, Balkan instability, trade rivalry, alliances. 30M casualties. First tanks, chemical, planes, submarines. Ended Russian, Ottoman, Austria-Hungarian Empires.

World War II. 1939-45. Allies-Britain, France, US(1941-), Russia(1941-) vs Axis-Italy, Germany, Japan, Russia(-1941). Caused by German Totalitarian expansionism resulting from WWI reparations and fear of Communism. 55M dead. 35M wounded. 30M refugees. Cost $US 1500B. Led to United Nations, Soviet power, State of Israel, atomic weapons.

WorldTradeCenter, 1972-2001. New York. Attacked 1993, destroyed September 11, 2001 by al-Qaeda terrorists. Osama bin Laden.

WTO. World Trade Organization. 1995. Successor to GATT. Focus of anti-globalization protests. WFTU.

Wyeth, Andrew. 1917-2009. US realist painter. Christina’s World 1948.

Zeppelin, Ferdinand von. 1838-1917. German constructor of dirigibles 1900-. 1928 Graf Zeppelin around world. Transatlantic service 1928-37. Hindenburg.

Zoroaster. Zarathustra. c628-551BC. Persian religious reformer, founder of Zoroastrianism. World is an eternal struggle between forces of good and evil.