World War II casualties

Quick Facts: Who was World War II casualties?

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World War II casualties

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The deadliest conflict in history, causing an estimated 60–75 million total deaths.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

World War II (WWII) was the deadliest military conflict in history. An estimated total of 60–75 million deaths were caused by the conflict, including those who died from deprivation, famine and disease. This represents about 3% of the estimated global population of 2.3 billion in 1940. Deaths directly caused by the war (including military and civilian fatalities) are estimated at 50–56 million, with an additional estimated 19–28 million deaths from war-related disease and famine. Civilian deaths totaled 50–55 million.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Military deaths from all causes totaled 21–25 million, including deaths in captivity of about five million prisoners of war. More than half of total deaths were in the Republic of China and the Soviet Union. The following tables give a detailed country-by-country count of human losses. Recent historical scholarship has shed new light on the topic of WWII casualties. Research in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union has caused a revision of estimates of Soviet WWII fatalities.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

According to Russian government figures, Soviet losses within postwar borders now stand at 26.6 million, including 8 to 9 million due to famine and disease. In August 2009 the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) researchers estimated Poland's dead at between 5.6 and 5.8 million. Historian Rüdiger Overmans of the Military History Research Office (Germany) published a study in 2000 estimating the German military dead and missing at 5.3 million, including 900,000 men conscripted from outside of Germany's 1937 borders in Austria and in east-central Europe. The Soviet Red Army claimed responsibility for the majority of Wehrmacht casualties during WWII. The People's Republic of China puts its war dead at 20 million, while the Japanese government puts its casualties due to the war at 3.1 million.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1937: 1937 Milestone — 3 million, including 900,000 men conscripted from outside of Germany's 1937 borders in Austria and in east-central Europe.
2. 2000: 2000 Milestone — Historian Rüdiger Overmans of the Military History Research Office (Germany) published a study in 2000 estimating the German military dead and missing at 5.
3. 2009: 2009 Milestone — In August 2009 the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) researchers estimated Poland's dead at between 5.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: World War II casualties

True or False: “Were the casualty statistics for World War II universally agreed upon by all historical sources?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Oxford Companion to World War II notes that 'casualty statistics are notoriously unreliable,' indicating significant scholarly disagreement.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abbas Kiarostami — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Aage Bohr — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Al Martino — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• A. D. Hope — Historical peer (Died in 2000) (2000): Australian poet and essayist celebrated for his satirical wit and academic career.
• A. E. van Vogt — Historical peer (Died in 2000) (2000): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• Abdelaziz Bouteflika — Historical peer (Born in 1937) (1937): Algerian politician who served as the seventh President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
• Alain Badiou — Historical peer (Born in 1937) (1937): Influential French philosopher known for 'Being and Event' and universalism.

Frequently Asked Questions about World War II casualties