Theater of War

theater of war [′thē·ə·dər əv ′wȯr]

(ordnance)

That area of land, sea, and air which is, or may become, involved directly in the operation of war.

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Theater of War 

a term used in Western literature to designate the territory of a continent and the adjoining ocean (or sea) and air space in which military operations are conducted by individual warring states or coalitions. For example, during World War II (1939–45), military operations were conducted in the European, Pacific, and North African theaters of war.

A theater of war usually includes several theaters of operations. For example, in modern Western military literature, Northern European, Central European, and Southern European theaters of operations are usually distinguished within the European theater of war. If military operations are conducted in relatively limited areas and are local in nature, the territory of a theater of war may coincide with the territory of a theater of operations.