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

The scale of human loss during WWII was unprecedented, with the Soviet Union and China enduring staggering casualties that far surpassed those of other Allied nations. On an average day, the Soviet Union experienced more losses than the United States did during the iconic D-Day landings, one of the largest and deadliest military operations for American forces during the war.

The Soviet Union’s total military and civilian casualties exceeded 16 million. Meanwhile, China, embroiled in a prolonged conflict with Japan, suffered over 20 million deaths. In contrast, the United States, though playing a pivotal role in the Allied victory, incurred relatively fewer losses, with around 400,000 Americans dying in the conflict.