The Brutal Realities of World War I (Abridged)
At a Glance
Language
English — USSubject
- History
- Human & Civil Rights
- The Holocaust
When World War I began in August 1914, both sides expected a quick victory. Neither leaders nor civilians from warring nations were prepared for the length and brutality of the war, which took the lives of millions by its end in 1918. The loss of life was greater than in any previous war in history. The carnage from World War I was incomprehensible to everyone, as millions of soldiers and civilians alike died.
The chart below provides estimates of the number of soldiers killed, wounded, and reported missing during World War I. Exact numbers are often disputed and are nearly impossible to determine for a variety of reasons. Different countries used different methods to count their dead and injured, and some methods were more reliable than others. Records of some countries were destroyed during the war and its aftermath. Also, some countries may have changed the number of casualties in their official records for political reasons. The numbers of civilians from each country killed during the war are even more difficult to determine, though historians estimate civilian deaths at about 5 million 1 . The numbers in the chart reflect the estimates made by most historians today.
World War I Casualties
| Total Mobilized Forces | Killed or Died* | Wounded | Prisoners or Missing | Total Casualties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 12,000,000 | 1,700,000 | 4,950,000 | 2,500,000 | 9,150,000 |
| British Empire | 8,904,467 | 908,371 | 2,090,212 | 191,652 | 3,190,235 |
| France** | 8,410,000 | 1,357,800 | 4,266,000 | 537,000 | 6,160,800 |
| Italy | 5,615,000 | 650,000 | 947,000 | 600,000 | 2,197,000 |
| United States | 4,734,991 | 116,516 | 204,002 | — | 320,518 |
| Japan | 800,000 | 300 | 907 | 3 | 1,210 |
| Romania | 750,000 | 335,706 | 120,000 | 80,000 | 535,706 |
| Serbia | 707,343 | 45,000 | 133,148 | 152,958 | 331,106 |
| Canada | 424,000 | 59,694 | 172,000 | 3,800 | 61,082 |
| Belgium | 267,000 | 13,716 | 44,686 | 34,659 | 93,061 |
| Greece | 230,000 | 5,000 | 21,000 | 1,000 | 27,000 |
| Portugal | 100,000 | 7,222 | 13,751 | 12,318 | 33,291 |
| Montenegro | 50,000 | 3,000 | 10,000 | 7,000 | 20,000 |
| TOTALS | 42,612,810 | 5,211,809 | 13,003,004 | 4,124,890 | 22,165,291 |
| Total Mobilized Forces | Killed or Died* | Wounded | Prisoners or Missing | Total Casualties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 11,000,000 | 1,773,700 | 4,216,058 | 1,152,800 | 7,142,558 |
| Austria-Hungary | 7,800,000 | 1,200,000 | 3,620,000 | 2,200,000 | 7,020,000 |
| Turkey | 2,850,000 | 325,000 | 400,000 | 250,000 | 975,000 |
| Bulgaria | 1,200,000 | 87,500 | 152,390 | 27,029 | 266,919 |
| TOTALS | 22,850,000 | 3,386,200 | 8,388,448 | 3,629,829 | 15,404,477 |
| Total Mobilized Forces | Killed or Died* | Wounded | Prisoners or Missing | Total Casualties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Powers | 42,612,810 | 5,211,809 | 13,003,004 | 4,124,890 | 22,165,291 |
| Central Powers | 22,850,000 | 3,386,200 | 8,388,448 | 3,629,829 | 15,404,477 |
| Grand Totals | 65,462,810 | 8,598,009 | 21,391,452 | 7,754,719 | 37,569,768 |
Source: "WWI Casualty and Death Tables," originally published on PBS website. Statistics also available on Encyclopedia Britannica's website.
* Includes deaths from all causes.
** Official figures.
- 1Martin Gilbert, The First World War: A Complete History (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1994), xv.
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