Animated Visualization of WWII Fatalities

I recently came across this 20min approx. video discussing the fatalities in World War 2 and wanted to share it here. I know a lot of people are aware of the numbers but this visualization makes it easier to comprehend the sheer scale of the loss of human life within just a few years.

It’s difficult to conceptualize excessively large numbers, particularly when they pertain to human tragedies. But this highly-engaging animated data visualization by Neil Halloran makes WWII-related deaths all too comprehensible.

The 15-minute video (it’s well worth the time to watch), titled “The Fallen of World War II,” is divided into three sections. The first is an analysis of soldier fatalities by nation, while the second tackles civilian deaths (including the Holocaust). The final section provides a fascinating and illuminating overarching perspective of WWII in the context of previous conflicts and those that followed.

Animated Data of WWII Fatalities

Here is also a direct link to the website.
The Fallen of World War II


Edit to add the youtube version

originally posted by: StratosFear

I recently came across this 20min approx. video discussing the fatalities in World War 2 and wanted to share it here. I know a lot of people are aware of the numbers but this visualization makes it easier to comprehend the sheer scale of the loss of human life within just a few years.

It’s difficult to conceptualize excessively large numbers, particularly when they pertain to human tragedies. But this highly-engaging animated data visualization by Neil Halloran makes WWII-related deaths all too comprehensible.

The 15-minute video (it’s well worth the time to watch), titled “The Fallen of World War II,” is divided into three sections. The first is an analysis of soldier fatalities by nation, while the second tackles civilian deaths (including the Holocaust). The final section provides a fascinating and illuminating overarching perspective of WWII in the context of previous conflicts and those that followed.

Animated Data of WWII Fatalities

Here is also a direct link to the website.
The Fallen of World War II

Any chance you can embed the video? Seems it may be from Facebook or Reddit or Vimeo or something which my company blocks. Is there a youtube version?

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Fixed it

a reply to: StratosFear

It gets a whole lot worse.

If you take the approximate casualties from WWI (17 million), then add the the approximate casualties from the Spanish flu (at least 50 million), WW2 (60 million) the holocaust (approx 5 million), The Stalin regime (at least 30 million) Maos great leap forward (at least 50 million) that means almost a quarter of a billion people perished from 1914 to 1961- that's 5 million deaths every year for 47 years.

The scary thing is that those were approximations-the real toll could've been much higher.

a reply to: StratosFear

Excellent video and link!

I was just thinking to myself earlier this morning that people really should have a good reminder of what a world war looks like.
Since it seems that we are constantly on the verge of another world war, any reminders might help in keeping the peace, especially since now most ww2 vets are gone.

Considering the world population now,and the weapons,
the next world war will be in the billions.

My great aunt never recovered from ww2. Up until her death about 10 years ago, she was still hoarding water, and cans, and keeping a victory garden in her back yard. WW2 really messed with her mind,
people need to remember so it doesn't happen again,
but in today's world, everyone only thinks a year ahead if even that,
and that is scary because another world war is looming.

s&f

All wars are a terrible loss of life....
I fear another is coming and soon.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

This numbers seem high. Casualties aren't only deaths...injuries too.

Sorry, I was caught up in some research and forgot to reply to everyone.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I am a bit familiar with the official numbers but seeing the visualization really drives the point home. As horrible as these events were we need to keep them alive in human memory to learn as much as we can to ensure that something similar doesn't happen again. With 7 billion people in the world now I wonder how many actually know about these events, it could easily happen again in some parts of the world that my not have been exposed to this sort of information.

a reply to: Darkblade71

There are plenty of reminders out there, but in the Western world chock full of PC BS I feel like many choose to ignore and forget. Or cast blame to the ones that went to fight instead of the ones that sent them there. I tried very hard to maintain a neutral OP to focus on the numbers vs the politics.

I met a WW2 vet the other day at a grocery store, a US Navy guy but he was so out of breath from his oxygen I don't think he comprehended why I was shaking his hand. My grandmother was similar to you great aunt but not as lets say devoted to the cause, but there is a wealth of knowledge and lessons to be gained from that generation that will become all but lost within the next 15 years.

a reply to: DogMeat

We shall see, I would hope not but a modern full blown war might snap many back into reality. There are also a few very intelligent people in the upper echelons of government that would do anything they could to prevent the repeat of WW2 though.