The largest wars in the history of mankind in terms of the number of deaths.
The earliest war on which there is evidence of excavation took place about 14,000 years ago.
It is impossible to calculate the exact number of victims, since in addition to the death of soldiers on the battlefield, there is also the death of civilians from the effects of weapons of war, as well as the death of civilians from the consequences of hostilities, for example, from hunger, hypothermia, disease.
Below is a list of the largest wars by the number of casualties.
The reasons for the wars indicated below are very different, but the number of victims exceeds millions.
1. Nigerian Civil War (Biafra War of Independence). The death toll is over 1,000,000.
The main conflict took place between the government forces of Nigeria and the separatists of the Republic of Biafra. The self-proclaimed republic was supported by a number of European states, among them, such as France, Portugal, Spain. Nigeria was supported by Britain and the USSR. The UN did not recognize the self-proclaimed republic. Arms and finances were sufficient on one side and the other. The main victims of the war are the civilian population, who were dying of hunger and various diseases.
2. Imjin war. The death toll is over 1,000,000.
1592-1598: Japan made 2 invasions of the Korean Peninsula in 1592 and 1597, both incursions failed to capture territory. The first invasion from Japan involved 220,000 soldiers, several hundred warships and transport ships.
Korean troops were defeated, but at the end of 1592, China transferred part of the army to Korea, but was defeated; in 1593, China transferred another part of the army, which managed to achieve some success. Peace was made. The second invasion of 1597 was not successful for Japan and in 1598 hostilities ceased.
3. Iran-Iraq War (death toll: 1 million)
1980-1988 years. The longest running war in the 20th century, which began with the invasion of Iraq on September 22, 1980. The war can be called positional - trench warfare, using small arms. Chemical weapons were widely used in the war. The initiative passed from one side to the other, so in 1980 the successful offensive of the Iraqi army was stopped, and in 1981 the initiative went over to the side of Iraq. An armistice was signed on 20 August 1988.
4. Korean War (death toll: 1.2 million)
1950-1953 years. War between North and South Korea. The war began with the North Korean invasion of South Korea. Despite the support of North Korea by the Soviet Union, Stalin opposed the war, because he feared that this conflict could lead to World War III and even nuclear war. On July 27, 1953, a ceasefire was signed.
5. Mexican Revolution (death toll between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000)
1910-1917. The revolution fundamentally changed the culture of Mexico and the policy of the government. But at that time Mexico numbered 15 million and the losses during the revolution were significant. The preconditions for the revolution were very different, but in the end, with the cost of millions of victims, Mexico strengthened its sovereignty and weakened its dependence on the United States.
6. The conquests of Chuck's army. First half of the 19th century. (death toll 2,000,000)
The local ruler Chaka (1787 - 1828) founded the state - KwaZulu. He gathered and armed a large army that conquered the disputed territories. The army plundered and plundered the tribes in the occupied territories. Tribes of local aborigines became victims.
7. Goguryosu-sui wars (death toll 2,000,000)
These wars include a series of wars between the Chinese Sui Empire and the Korean state of Goguryeo. Wars took place on the following dates:
· war of 598
· war of 612
· war of 613
· war of 614
Ultimately, the Koreans managed to repel the Chinese offensive and win.
The total number of human casualties is much higher, since civilian casualties are not included.
8. Religious wars in France (death toll between 2,000,000 and 4,000,000)
The religious wars in France are also known as the Huguenot wars. Occurred from 1562 to 1598. Arose on religious grounds as a result of the conflict between Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots). In 1998, the Edict of Nantes was adopted, which legalized freedom of religion. On August 24, 1572, Catholics staged a mass beating of Protestants, first in Paris and then throughout France. It happened on the eve of the feast of St. Barthomew, this day went down in history as Bartholomew's night, on that day more than 30,000 people died in Paris.
9. Second Congolese War (death toll from 2,400,000 to 5,400,000)
The deadliest war in the history of modern Africa, also known as the African World War and the Great War of Africa, lasted from 1998 to 2003, involving 9 states and more than 20 separate armed groups. The main victims of the war are the civilian population, which died due to disease and hunger.
10. Napoleonic Wars (death toll from 3,000,000 to 6,000,000)
Napoleonic Wars - an armed conflict between France, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, with a number of European states, including Russia. Thanks to Russia, Napoleon's army was defeated. Various sources provide different data on victims, but the largest number of scientists believe that the number of victims, including civilians, from hunger and epidemics reaches 5,000,000.
11. Thirty Years' War (death toll from 3,000,000 to 11,500,000)
1618 - 1648. The war began as a conflict between Catholics and Protestants in the crumbling Holy Roman Empire, but gradually a number of other states were drawn into it. The number of victims from the Thirty Years' War, according to most scientists, is 8 million people.
12. Chinese Civil War (death toll 8,000,000)
The Chinese Civil War was fought between forces loyal to the Kuomintang (political party of the Republic of China) and forces loyal to the Chinese Communist Party. The war began in 1927, and it essentially ended when the main active fighting ceased in 1950. Although historians cite the end date of the war as December 22, 1936, the conflict ultimately led to the formation of two de facto states, the Republic of China (now known as Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China in mainland China. During the war, both sides carried out massive atrocities.
13. Civil war in Russia (death toll from 7,000,000 to 12,000,000)
1917 - 1922. Struggle for power of various political trends, armed groups. But mainly the two largest and most organized forces fought - the Red Army and the White Army. The Russian Civil War is considered the greatest national catastrophe in Europe in the entire history of its existence. The main victims of the war are the civilian population.
14. Wars led by Tamerlane (the number of victims from 8,000,000 to 20,000,000)
In the second half of the 14th century, Tamerlane led cruel, bloody conquests in Western, South, Central Asia, in the south of Russia. Tamerlane became the most powerful ruler in the Muslim world, conquering Egypt, Syria and the Ottoman Empire. Historians believe that at the hands of his soldiers, 5% of the entire population of the Earth died then.
15. Dungan Uprising (death toll from 8,000,000 to 20,400,000)
1862 - 1869. The Dungan uprising is an ethnic and religious war between the Han people (a Chinese ethnic group originally from East Asia) and Chinese Muslims. The leaders of the rebels against the existing government were the spiritual mentors of Xinjiao, who declared jihad wrong.
16. Conquest of the Americas (casualties from 8,400,000 to 148,000,000)
1492-1691. Over the 200 years of colonization of America, tens of millions of the local population were killed by European colonialists. However, there is no exact number of casualties as there are no initial estimates of the original Native American population. The conquest of America is the largest extermination of the native population by other peoples in history.
17. An Lushan rebellion (the number of victims from 13,000,000 to 36,000,000)
755 - 763 A.D. Revolt against the Tang Dynasty. According to scientists, up to two children of the entire population of China could have died in the course of this conflict.
18. World War I (death toll 18,000,000)
1914-1918 years. War between groups of states in Europe and their allies. The war claimed 11 million soldiers who died directly in the fighting. 7 million civilians died during the war.
19. Taiping Uprising (20,000,000 - 30,000,000 casualties)
1850 - 1864. The uprising of the peasants in China. The Taiping Rebellion spread throughout China against the Manchu Qing Dynasty. With the support of England and France, the Qing troops brutally suppressed the rebels.
20. Manchu conquest of China (death toll 25 million)
1618-1683 War of the Qing Dynasty, over the conquest of the territories of the Ming Dynasty.
As a result of long wars and various battles, the Manchu dynasty managed to conquer almost all of the strategic territories of China. The war claimed tens of millions of human lives.
21. Sino-Japan War (25,000,000 - 30,000,000 casualties)
1937 - 1945. War between the Republic of China and the Japanese Empire. Separate hostilities began in 1931. The war ended with the defeat of Japan with the help of allied forces, mainly the USSR. The USA launched 2 nuclear strikes against Japan, destroying the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On September 9, 1945, the government of the Republic of China accepted the surrender from the commander of Japanese forces in China, General Okamura Yasuji.
22. Wars of the Three Kingdoms (the number of victims 36,000,000 - 40,000,000)
220-280 A.D. Not to be confused with the war (England, Scotland and Ireland between 1639 and 1651). The war of three states - Wei, Shu and Wu for complete power in the territory of China. Each side tried to unite China under its own leadership. The bloodiest period in the history of China, which led to millions of victims.
23. Mongol conquests (casualties 40,000,000 - 70,000,000)
1206 - 1337 The raids across the territories of Asia and Eastern Europe with the formation of the state of the Golden Horde. The raids were notable for their cruelty. The Mongols spread the bubonic plague over vast territories, from which people died, without having immunity to this disease.
24. World War II (60,000,000 - 85,000,000 casualties)
The most brutal war in the history of mankind, when people were destroyed along racial and ethnic lines with the help of technical devices. The extermination of peoples was organized by the rulers of Germany and their allies led by Hitler. Up to 100 million troops fought on the battlefields on both sides. With the decisive role of the USSR, Nazi Germany and its allies were defeated.
