INTRO So the when. The Seven Years' War began in 1756 and ended in 1763. Unless you believe, as many historians do, that the Seven Years' War lasted 23 years because it was really a continuation of the war for Austrian succession. Then you have the fact that much of the information in today's episode is taken from a book called The Global Seven Years' War, 1754-1763, a nine year period. As for the who, it was mainly fought between the British and the French, seen here reenacting the knife fight from either Beat It or West Side Story, depending on your age. But some of the British were actually Americans, and both the British and the French were supported by American Indians. And there was fighting in India between Indian Indians, the British, and the French.