Considered the first global war in history, World War II resulted in fighting on every continent. At least 50 million people, both soldiers and civilians, lost their lives. We will never know the exact number of casualties, as the war period was characterized by total chaos and inadequate documentation.
Despite the horrifying statistics and estimates, these figures help us understand the scale and impact of the conflict. The numbers, in particular, illustrate why Hitler was so obsessed with conquering the oil fields in the Caucasus and why the Americans used the atomic bomb.
During the final months of World War I, no one would have imagined that the world would be facing an even greater conflict within a short period of time. But tensions grew rapidly, driven by the desire to create new empires. In Germany, this led to the rise of National Socialism, which ultimately led to the outbreak of World War II.
