WORLD WAR II FATALITIES
World War II was without doubt the costliest war in military history. No truly accurate figures exist and estimates can be only roughly approximated. Somewhere between 15 and 20 million military personnel were killed in action and another 25 to 30 million civilians probably died as a result of the indiscriminate bombings, artillery barrages, and savage fighting.
Among the Allies, the USSR had the heaviest battle casualties, with about 7.5 million dead. China lost 2.2 million combatants; the British about 300,000; the United States 292,000; and France 210,000. A TOTAL of 10.5 million
Among the Axis powers, Germany suffered about 3.5 million battle dead; Japan 1.5 million; and Italy 200,000. A TOTAL of 5.2 million
The USSR lost between 10 and 30 million civilians; China at least 6 million; France about 400,000; the United Kingdom 65,000; and the United States 6,000. A TOTAL of 16.5 million
On the Axis side, 500 - 700,000 German civilians were killed; 600 - 700,000 died in Japan; and 150,000 in Italy. A TOTAL of 1.5 million
These figures are in addition to the approximately 6 million Jews, mostly from Eastern Europe, who were systematically murdered by the Germans.
Copyright © 1997 R.H. Perez
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