The Clone Wars were mentioned in the original film.
Yes, they were. One time, without further explanation.
Luke: “You fought in the Clone Wars?”
There was nothing there to indicate what the Clone Wars were about. It was a blank canvas, one that was colored in with crayons and scribbles in the PT, that the stormtroopers were all clones from Boba Fett’s dad.
It was a creative storyline that was met with almost universal ridicule and derision.