Top Countries with Highest Human Losses in World War II

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The Human Cost of World War II: Country-by-Country Losses in 2025

Soviet Union — 25,285,000 casualties
The Soviet Union suffered the highest number of deaths, with over 25 million lives lost. This staggering figure includes military personnel and civilians caught in the brutality of the Eastern Front and the devastating Siege of Stalingrad. The immense human toll cemented the USSR’s position as the country most impacted by World War II.
Germany — 8,800,000 casualties
Nazi Germany faced tremendous losses, with nearly 9 million lives lost. Both military personnel and civilians bore the brunt of the war’s destruction, especially in the context of strategic bombings and the final battles on German soil. The war left deep scars on the nation’s population.
China — 7,850,000 casualties
China’s toll is profound, with nearly 8 million deaths. The country had been embroiled in conflict since 1937, suffering from extensive military campaigns and civilian massacres. The loss of life during this prolonged period of warfare significantly affected China’s development.

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Poland — 5,800,000 casualties
Poland experienced one of the most devastating impacts of the war, with over 5.8 million lives lost, including the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The nation endured occupation, brutal suppression, and the destruction of its communities.
Dutch East Indies — 4,000,000 casualties
Modern-day Indonesia, then the Dutch East Indies, encountered extensive suffering, primarily through the hardships of occupation by Japanese forces. The region’s significant loss of life reflects the brutal theater of Southeast Asian conflict.
Japan — 3,100,000 casualties
Japan’s war toll includes both military casualties and civilian deaths, notably from atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This figure underscores the heavy toll exacted on the nation during the final stages of the war.
British Raj (India) — 2,500,000 casualties
India, then part of the British Empire, lost over 2.5 million lives through military engagement and civilian suffering, including those affected by famine and displacement caused by war mobilization.
Vietnam — 1,500,000 casualties
Vietnam’s involvement was marked by conflicts that prefigured the later Vietnam War, with casualties stemming from military actions and occupation-era hardships.
Yugoslavia — 1,000,000 casualties
Yugoslavia endured widespread suffering, including mass executions and partisan warfare, leading to approximately one million deaths and widespread destruction.
Philippines — 1,000,000 casualties
The Philippines suffered heavily from Japanese invasion, with a significant number of civilians and soldiers killed during occupation and battles such as the Battle of Manila.
Romania — 833,000 casualties
Romania faced heavy losses related to both Axis military campaigns and internal upheaval, affecting large segments of its population.
Greece — 800,000 casualties
Greece experienced occupation brutality, resistance conflicts, and civilian suffering, which collectively resulted in substantial casualties.
Hungary — 580,000 casualties
Hungary’s involvement on the Axis side led to significant military and civilian losses, including the tragic Holocaust victims.
France — 567,600 casualties
France faced occupation, bombing, and the upheaval of liberation, nearing the half-million mark in losses during the war.
Korea — 473,000 casualties
Korea, under Japanese rule, sustained extensive military and civilian suffering, contributing to nearly half a million deaths.
Italy — 457,000 casualties
Italy, once allied with Nazi Germany, experienced fierce fighting with Allied forces and internal conflict, resulting in hundreds of thousands of losses.
United Kingdom — 450,700 casualties
The UK endured relentless bombing campaigns, naval battles, and wartime hardships, leading to nearly half a million deaths.
United States — 418,500 casualties
American losses were mostly military, with soldiers killed in Europe and the Pacific theater, alongside some civilian casualties.
Austria — 384,700 casualties
Austria, then part of Nazi Germany, faced extensive military mobilization and subsequent destruction, resulting in a high death toll.
Czechoslovakia — 345,000 casualties
The country suffered severe impacts, including loss of life through occupation policies and resistance activities.
Netherlands — 301,000 casualties
Dutch civilians faced forced labor, famine, and persecution, leading to over 300,000 deaths.
Malaya — 100,000 casualties
The Malayan peninsula experienced brutal Japanese occupation, with significant civilian suffering.
Ethiopia — 100,000 casualties
Ethiopia, having been invaded earlier in the 1930s, continued to suffer during WWII’s broader conflicts with casualties across the population.
Finland — 97,000 casualties
Fighting against Soviet forces and defending its territory, Finland sustained considerable military losses.
Belgium — 86,100 casualties
Belgium endured occupation, resistance, and bombing campaigns, resulting in thousands of tragic deaths.

Total Estimated Human Losses: Approximately 67 Million People

Note: Historical data indicates that China alone lost nearly 15 million people between 1937 and 1939, underscoring the scale of civilian suffering during early years of the conflict.

Sources:
The National WWII Museum, Correlates of War, WW2-history.fandom, Odenames, CEPR, Smithsonian Associates.

Image depicting WWII casualties and memorials