Second World War is the name for armed conflict, that is, a series of mutually connected armed conflicts that in the period from 1939 to 1945 between two state blocks- so called, Axis Forces lead by Germany, Italy and Japan and so called Ally forces that were lead by United States of America, Soviet Union and Great Britain, in which the Allies won.
By the number of states, that is people that participated in it, and the number of casualties and degree of material devastation, Second World War represents the biggest armed conflict in the history of mankind. By its consequences Second World War represents one of most important events in history, and the source on numerous controversies that are present even today. Due to mass and industrial destruction of people, Second World War introduced new words in human vocabulary, like: genocide and holocaust. Apart from all more or less known facts, this attachment revals many other unbelievable information about Second World War.
10MILITARY TO CIVILIA DEAD
WWI: 9.7 million military deaths and 6.8 million civilian deaths. WWII: 22-30 million military deaths and 38-55 million civilian deaths it´s over 2.5 percent of the world´s population.
099 U-BOATS
Around 3.000 allied ships (over 21.000.000 tons) were sunk by U-BOATS. Of the 40.000 Germans serving on U-BOATS, 30.000 were captured or killed.
08NUMBER OF BOMBS DROPPED ON GERMANY
2 million tons of bombs were dropped on Germany by the allies. 5-15 percent of these didn’t explode 100.000 – 300.000 tons of unexploded ordnance.
07HIGHEST DECORATION COUNT
The 14.000 men of the 442nd combat team win the most medals in U.S. history. From 1943 they got 18.143 awards, including 9.486 purple hearts, 21 medals of honors and 8 presidential unit citation.
06MOST SUCCESSFUL FIGHTER ACE
Erich Hartmann, “he Black Devil”, flew 1.404 combat mission for the Luftwaffe. He is credited with shooting down 352 allied aircraft.
05U.S.A. AMMUNITION PRODUCTION
1941-45: The U.S. supplied 47 billion rounds of small arms ammunition, also 11 million tons of artillery ammunition, 12 million rifles and 750.000 artillery pieces.
04EXECUTEDM FOR DESEPTION
Order No. 270 of the Russian Army had 158.000 Soviet soldiers executed for desertion. Germany executed 20.000 of their soldiers and America just 1: Edward Slovik.
03COMBAT CASUALTIES ON U.S. SOIL
The only mainland counted combat casualties claimed 6 lives a pregnant woman and 5 children. They were killed by a Japanese fire balloon which had floated into Oregon.
02THE BATTLE FOR MOSCOW
250.000 Moscow women and teenagers built 5.000 miles of trenches with no mechanical help. The German offensive reached Khimki town, just 5 miles out of Moscow.
01LONGEST SERVING SOLDIER
Private Teruo Nakamura of the Japanese army surrendered in 1974, having survived on an island without hearing of the war´s end. In 2005 two more Japanese WWII soldiers were found but disappeared before being identified.