warfare; turmoil of war
Refers to the state of war and the accompanying social disorder, chaos, and upheaval. Often used in historical or literary contexts.
戦乱の時代を生き抜く。
Survive through an era of warfare.
国は長い戦乱で荒廃した。
The country was devastated by prolonged warfare.
戦乱 focuses specifically on the chaos of war, while 動乱 covers a wider range of unrest including riots and civil disorder, not just warfare.
Compound of 戦 (sen, 'war') and 乱 (ran, 'disorder'). The combination directly conveys the meaning of war-induced chaos.