Facts and Stories from WWII That We Won’t Find in History Books

The demographic impact of World War II on Russia is both profound and long-lasting, illustrating the war’s devastating toll beyond the immediate casualties. The staggering losses Russia endured had a ripple effect, contributing to population declines in the subsequent decades, notably the 1960s and 1990s.

A particularly stark statistic highlights the gravity of this impact: 80% of Russian men born in 1923 did not survive to witness the war’s end. Approximately half of this loss can be attributed to the war itself, with the remaining casualties resulting from infant mortality and starvation in the years preceding the conflict.