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'''World War II''', or the '''Second World War'''<ref>"Second World War" is the official name of this conflict used by [[Commonwealth]] historians, "World War II" is the name used in official American accounts of the war; both terms are used interchangeably in general usage.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}</ref> (often abbreviated as '''WWII''' or '''WW2'''), was a global military conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, which involved [[Participants in World War II|most of the world's nations]], including all of the [[great power]]s: eventually forming two opposing military alliances, the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] and the [[Axis powers|Axis]]. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million military personnel mobilised. In a state of "[[total war]]," the major participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. Marked by significant events involving the mass death of civilians, including the [[The Holocaust|Holocaust]] and the [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|only use of nuclear weapons in warfare]], it was the [[List of wars and disasters by death toll|deadliest conflict]] in [[History of the world|human history]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Complete Illustrated History of World War Two: An Authoritative Account of the Deadliest Conflict in Human History with Analysis of Decisive Encounters and Landmark Engagements|first=Donald |last=Sommerville|publisher=Lorenz Books|year=2008|page=5|isbn=0754818985}}</ref> resulting in [[World War II casualties|50 million to over 70 million fatalities]].

Wikipedia’s leaders assured the audience that the website’s reputation is strong — no longer drawing the ire of teachers and journalists claiming that its entries are unreliable.

“Making fun of Wikipedia is so 2007,” Gardner said to a cheering crowd, quoting what a French journalist recently told her.

Now THAT'S funny.

Not as funny as what Sue will say when asked how WMF's suggestion that "professors assign their students to write a Wikipedia article," is compatable with the foundation's ethic of "volunteerism."

Now THAT'S funny.