10. Siege of Leningrad, 1941-1944 (1.12 million casualties)
The Siege of Leningrad marks one of the darkest periods of World War
II, as German and Finnish armed forces sieged the city of Leningrad in
the Soviet Union, leading to 1.12 million
casualties over a period of around 872 days. The siege began on September 8, 1941 and continued until January 27, 1944. Though Leningrad put up its own defenses in retaliation to the approaching German and Finnish forces, by November of 194 the city had been almost completely encircled by the enemy troops. Vital supplies to the city were cut off, and the inhabitants suffered terribly, with 650,000 Leningraders dying in 1942 alone. Starvation, disease, and shelling activities by the enemy forces were all partially responsible for the massive death tolls seen during the Siege of Leningrad. Only sparse supplies that were obtained across Lake Ladoga kept the city’s surviving population alive (even if barely) during this period. In 1943, Soviet troops managed to rupture the German encirclement, allowing more supplies to reach the city. Finally, in January of 1944, the Soviet Army drove out the Germans and pushed them westward, ending the siege of the city.
casualties over a period of around 872 days. The siege began on September 8, 1941 and continued until January 27, 1944. Though Leningrad put up its own defenses in retaliation to the approaching German and Finnish forces, by November of 194 the city had been almost completely encircled by the enemy troops. Vital supplies to the city were cut off, and the inhabitants suffered terribly, with 650,000 Leningraders dying in 1942 alone. Starvation, disease, and shelling activities by the enemy forces were all partially responsible for the massive death tolls seen during the Siege of Leningrad. Only sparse supplies that were obtained across Lake Ladoga kept the city’s surviving population alive (even if barely) during this period. In 1943, Soviet troops managed to rupture the German encirclement, allowing more supplies to reach the city. Finally, in January of 1944, the Soviet Army drove out the Germans and pushed them westward, ending the siege of the city.
9. The Somme, 1916 (1.12 million casualties)
The Somme Offensive, or the Battle of the Somme, was an epic World War I battle fought in Somme, France, by the British and French forces against those of the Germans. It occurred between July 1st, 1916 and November 18th, 1916. The battle claimed the lives of nearly 1.12 million civilians and military men. The first day of the Somme battle was one of the worst days in the history of the British Army, as around 57,470 British soldiers lost their lives. This day also marked the defeat for the German Second Army, who were driven out of their positions by the French Sixth Army. The battle was known for its focus on air power and, towards the end, the Allied forces managed to penetrate 6 miles into German-occupied territories.8. Stalingrad, 1942-1943 (1.25 million casualties)
The Battle of Stalingrad marked a significant turning point in World War II, as the German forces suffered a massive attack and defeat in Russia. The battle ensued when Hitler ordered his troops, who were advancing towards the Caucasus, to move back and attack the Russian city of Stalingrad. Probably his extreme hatred for the Russian dictator Joseph Stalin triggered his decision to attack the city. The Russian forces were also not ready to give up and, as the city was named after Stalin, the battle turned into an egotistic one between the two nations' respective leaders. The consequences were deadly, as the rival forces fought fiercely, often engaging in hand to hand combat as they tried to capture and recapture individual streets. The battle ended with a severe defeat suffered by the German troops, who were then forced into a full retreat from the area. 1.25 million precious lives were lost in the Battle of Stalingrad.7. Ichi-Go, 1944 (1.3 million casualties)
The Operation Ichi-Go, which resulted in almost 1.3 million casualties, was launched by the Japanese forces on April 19, 1944. The objectives of this operation were to take control of the railroad between Beiping and Hong Kong, as well as of the Allied airfields in southern China, from where US forces were launching the planes that were bombing the Japanese homeland and its shipping ports. The other objective was the destruction of food supplies and crops in order to worsen the already bad food crisis in China. The success of the Japanese forces at the end of the operation was, however, marginal, as the US forces still remained able to bomb Japan from Saipan and other Pacific bases.6. Taking of Berlin, 1945 (1.3 million casualties)
This was the culmination in the final series of events leading to the downfall of Hitler and the Nazi Germans. It began on April 16, 1945, when 20 army troop regiments, 8,500 aircrafts, and 6,300 tanks were unleashed by the Russian dictator Josef Stalin. They were sent with the ultimate goal of crushing the defending German forces and capturing Berlin. Though the already depleted German forces put up stiff resistance, they were no match for the determined Russian forces who had surrounded the city of Berlin by April 24th. Street-to-street and house-by-house battles brewed up, resulting in a massive bloodbath that claimed almost 1.3 million lives by the time all was said and done. Finally, the Russian troops emerged victorious, and the 'Fuhrer', knowing his last days were near, married his long time ,mistress in his underground bunker after which time both ended their lives by committing suicide. The Russians' arrival and taking of Berlin before the Americans could arrive would have a huge geopolitical impact in the US-USSR Cold War in the decades to follow.5. Operation Barbarossa, 1941 (1.4 million casualties)
One of the largest military operations in the history of mankind, the Operation Barbarossa was launched by Hitler on June 22, 1941 against the Soviet Union. Over 3 million Axis troops and 3,500 tanks were directed into the Soviet Union, with the aim to capture the Baltic states and Leningrad in the North and Moscow in the center, as well as the economic resources of the Soviet Union that lay to the southern extents of the campaign. Germany’s major victory over France had encouraged the Axis Forces to plan the Barbarossa operation. Though the strong German forces were able to subdue the unprepared Soviet troops at the beginning, leading to heavy losses in terms of Russian life, territory, and fighting supplies, the Soviets were not ready to give up. Thus, towards the end of Operation Barbarossa, the German forces were met with heavy retaliation from the Soviet troops, this time leading to heavy losses on the German side of the front lines. Nearly 1.4 million fatal casualties occurred during this death-dealing operation.4. German Spring offensive, 1918 (1.55 milion casualties)
During the final parts of World War I, the Germans launched a series of attacks, referred to as the Spring Offensive, on the Western Front, starting on March 21st, 1918. There were four German offensive spearheads participating in this operation. 'Michael' was the most significant offensive of the four, and was intended to outflank the British troops that defended the Somme, while the other offensives were meant to divert the Allied forces away from the primary target of the Somme. However, retaliation by a powerful Allied army, the inability to move German supplies and reinforcements, and heavy casualties on the German side, led to the retreat of the German troops by late April of 1918. Around 1.55 million lives were lost in this battle.3. Dnieper, 1943 (1.58 million casualties)
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