1939–1945 · Deadliest conflict in history
World War 2 Deaths
Between 70 and 85 million people died — about 3% of everyone alive. Where they died, the split between soldiers and civilians, and how historians count a number this large.
Short answer
An estimated 70 to 85 million people died in World War 2 — about 3% of the world's population. Roughly 21–25 million were military and 50–55 million were civilian deaths. The Soviet Union lost the most (24–27M), followed by China (15–20M). It is the deadliest conflict in human history.
The numbers
70–85M
Total deaths
~3%
Of world population
50–55M
Civilian
21–25M
Military
WWII broke a grim historical pattern: for the first time in a major war, far more civilians died than soldiers — through genocide, famine, disease, forced labour and the bombing of cities. That is why the totals carry such wide ranges: military deaths are documented, but civilian deaths in China, the USSR and occupied territories can only be estimated.
Deaths by country
| Country | Deaths | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 24–27M | Highest absolute toll; ~13% of population |
| China | 15–20M | Second-highest; war + famine + occupation |
| Germany | 6.6–8.8M | Military + civilian + bombing |
| Poland | ~5.7M | Highest proportion: ~17% of population |
| Dutch East Indies | ~3–4M | Mostly famine under occupation |
| Japan | 2.5–3.1M | Incl. Hiroshima & Nagasaki (~200K) |
| India (Bengal famine) | 2–3M | War-induced famine, 1943 |
| Yugoslavia | ~1.0–1.7M | Occupation + civil conflict |
| France | ~600K | Military + civilian |
| United Kingdom | ~450K | Incl. ~67K civilians from bombing |
| United States | ~419K | Almost entirely military |
Poland lost the largest share of its people — around 17% — while the Soviet Union lost the largest absolute number. The United States, fighting away from its own soil, lost about 419,000, almost all military.
The Holocaust
About 6 million Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators — roughly two-thirds of Europe's pre-war Jewish population. Counting other targeted groups — Roma, Soviet POWs, disabled people, Polish and Slavic civilians, political and religious prisoners — the total number of victims of Nazi genocide and mass killing reaches about 11 million. These deaths are included within the war's civilian toll above.
Frequently asked questions
How many people died in World War 2?
An estimated 70 to 85 million people died in World War 2 (1939–1945) — roughly 3% of the world's 1940 population of about 2.3 billion. The wide range reflects uncertainty in civilian, famine and disease deaths, especially in China and the Soviet Union. It is the deadliest conflict in human history by absolute numbers.
Which country lost the most people in WWII?
The Soviet Union, by a wide margin: an estimated 24–27 million deaths, military and civilian combined. China was second with 15–20 million. Germany lost 6.6–8.8 million and Poland about 5.7 million (the highest proportion of any country, around 17% of its pre-war population).
How many soldiers vs civilians died in WWII?
Of the ~70–85 million total, roughly 21–25 million were military deaths and 50–55 million were civilian deaths — including those killed by genocide, famine, disease and strategic bombing. WWII was unusual in that civilian deaths far outnumbered military ones, driven by deliberate mass killing and war-induced famine.
How many people died in the Holocaust?
About 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust — roughly two-thirds of Europe's pre-war Jewish population. Nazi Germany and its collaborators also killed millions of others, including Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, disabled people, Polish civilians and political prisoners, bringing the total number of Nazi genocide and mass-killing victims to roughly 11 million.
How many Americans died in World War 2?
The United States suffered about 419,000 deaths in WWII, overwhelmingly military (around 416,000) with relatively few civilian deaths because the war was not fought on the US mainland. This was a small fraction of the war's total but a defining national loss.
How does WWII compare to WWI in deaths?
World War 1 (1914–1918) killed about 17–20 million people. World War 2 killed 70–85 million — roughly four times as many — largely because of the scale of civilian deaths, genocide, and famine in WWII. WWII remains the deadliest war ever; WWI is among the top five.
How are WWII death tolls calculated?
Historians combine military records, census comparisons (population before vs after the war), demographic modelling of 'excess deaths', and archival research. Military deaths are relatively well documented; civilian deaths from famine, disease and displacement are far harder to count, which is why totals for China and the USSR carry ranges of several million.
Related
Tool
DeathVault home — interactive map
Database
All mass-death events
Pandemic
The Black Death — 75–200M dead
Data
Aggregate death statistics
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