World War 2 is known as one of the most destructive wars in world history. It brought the world together in
a unified cause to fight. Be it for the Axis or Allies, much of the world was embroiled in conflict they could
barely imagine. Most of the world was against the Axis powers, but the powers that be still came at a great cost.
Especially in Europe, the constant battling led to great destruction of many countries there, and those
fighting over in the Pacific had great tragedy as well. Regardless, the trail of destruction shockwaved across
the world. Famine, economic instability and war-tattered cities were just the beginning, not to mention the
innumerable casualties of war that took place. I’m going to be listing the 10 most destroyed countries during World War 2.
10 Most Destroyed Countries During World War 2
1. The Soviet Union
Since the Soviet Union was so large and in close proximity to Germany and the Axis Powers, it was no surprise
that the path leading to Soviet destruction was so massive. The Soviet Union made up the largest portion of the
possible 60 million casualties that made up the Second World War. It is estimated that there was a total of nearly
20 million deaths of citizens of the USSR, many being civilian deaths. While the numbers are still out on the exact
cost it had and what to include, the numbers are not only high, they’re catastrophic regardless.
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The economy of the Soviet Union was also completely destroyed, having lost more than 17,000 towns, 70,000 villages, and 32,000 factories. This often led to shortages of men, machinery, livestock, and limited harvest, and ended
up leaving the USSR with food shortages during and after the war. The war had numerous effects on the Soviet Union,
ranging from social and political to military and ideological, many jobless men having to help rebuild the country.
The impact of World War 2 ended up leading to the Iron Curtain, a political, military and ideological line in
the sand between the east and west. Overall, the impact was immense, and led to a high-end estimate of up 14
percent of their population being lost.
2. Poland
Poland was where the war essentially started, with the Invasion of Poland kicking off the war in September of 1939.
The war began when Germany bombed the Polish city of Wielun, hundreds being killed and buildings flattened to the ground. Later, the bombing of Warsaw occurred, killing up to 25,000 more people and often being compared to the destruction of the bombing of Dresden, Germany in 1945. This all obviously had a significant social, economic and political impact on Poland, especially after the war.
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It’s been estimated that more than 5 million Polish citizens were killed during the German occupation,
including upwards of 3 million Polish Jews during the Holocaust. Out of all of the countries, Poland had the
highest per capita loss of life, losing upwards of 17 percent of their population, meaning that 6 million
Polish citizens had died. After the 1944 failed uprising by the underground Polish Home Army, Warsaw was
destroyed, along with many citizens dying. The destruction of Warsaw saw it being compared to the Japanese
deaths and destruction during Hiroshima and Nagasaki, later making it easier for Soviets to force compliance and
make Poland a communist state.
10 Most Destroyed Countries During World War 2
3. Japan
Japan is obviously known for joining the Nazis during World War 2, helping the Japanese do what they want and
gain territorial control over much of east Asia. The Japanese were virulent in their desire to fight to the bitter
end, even if it meant total chaos and death. After the immense cost of the bombing of Tokyo and the Japanese
navy and air force being utterly destroyed, the Japanese still would not let up. In spite of their economy being
devastated, they essentially took an all or nothing approach, probably thinking that if they’ve gone this far why
give up now. The Japanese did little to listen to an ultimatum made to invade and destroy all of Japan if an
unconditional surrender was not met.
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The United States decided to drop an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing an estimated 80,000
people. Afterwards, they still would not comply, and the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and the US dropped
another similarly fatal bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. The numerous injuries from these bombs is in the
hundreds of thousands, leaving the country to make an unconditional surrender on August 9, 1945.
4. France
France saw massive devastation after the Nazi regime occupied their country. Bombing in their country claimed at least 50 thousand and 60 thousand lives, mostly being killed by Allied Powers. The death toll was similar to that of
the British civilian victims claimed by the German bombing and V-weapons, including the V-2 rocket, and the
Jews deported from France and exterminated in concentration camps.
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The Channel port of Le Havre alone is estimated to have lost some 5,000 people dead. Beyond these fun facts
of war brutality, the material destruction of France is highly considerable as well, leaving a lasting legacy on
French towns. Out of the 38 thousand municipalities, nearly 1900 of them were officially declared war-damaged.
It was also estimated, in 1946, that 38 percent of building had been damaged by the war, including 20 out of
France’s 27 largest cities. Another staggering number includes the 18 percent of buildings that were totally
damaged.
10 Most Destroyed Countries During World War 2
5. Germany
Germany, especially by the end of the war, had been turned into an almost unrecognizable landscape of destruction. In the Second World War, approximately 410,000 German civilians were killed by Allied air raids. There were even monthly estimates of nearly 14,000 people dying every month, and Hamburg alone had nearly 50 thousand civilians killed by Allied bombings. Berlin suffered significant casualties of around 35,000, and in February of 1945,
during the bombing of Dresden, over 20,000 civilians were killed. The effects on post-World War 2 Germany are
highly documented.
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Many smaller towns were also the victim of destruction laid out by Germany itself, including Nordhausen losing
20 percent of it’s population in one night. Many were the target of the British and American air forces. Small
villages were destroyed for various reasons, including halting local industry or by accident. Hanover lost nearly
250 thousand people’s apartments during a night attack in 1943. Beyond this, including in Berlin, it left hundreds
of thousands of people homeless, halting industry mostly in the final year of the war.
6. United Kingdom
The UK, while partially separated from the main theaters of the war, was still attacked and still suffered
many consequences for their involvement. Much of what caused the wartime grief for the United Kingdom was a period of bombing known as the Blitz. The Blitz did not only affect the people of London, but it affected much of the
UK. In the 8 months of the assault, it accounted for 43,000 civilian deaths, accounting for nearly half of all
of Britain’s total civilian death for the entire war.
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One out of every six Londoners was made homeless at some point during the Blitz, and well over 1 million houses
and flats were damaged or destroyed in the process. Much of the damage done proved to be a problem for the Germans, and to Hitler turned into an obvious miscalculation, leaving the Royal Air Force victorious in the Battle of Britain.
10 Most Destroyed Countries During World War 2
7. China
The Chinese suffered a serious blow during the Second World War, and the sad part is that they were never given
credit, given their losses and ally status. The War in China began earlier than the official war in Europe, starting
in 1937, known as the Second Sino-Japanese War. The downfall of China after the war ultimately led to their communist status that began in 1949. It is stated that the Chinese suffered severe losses during the war, losing the lives
of 14 million people, and in addition, 100 million Chinese people were made refugees during this crisis.
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The struggle lasted from 1937-1945, but their contribution is often overlooked by many because of their indirect
contribution to the war. Pearl Harbor was a significant moment because of how it ultimately led America to fight and
help them in the Pacific Theater. China has various other struggles, including with the military, flooding and food, but
being put to the backburner by other Allies because of their focus on Europe.
8. Italy
Italy struggled as an Axis Power, especially in the middle and towards the end of the Second World War.
They often had hardship with gaining food and other supplies. Around 60 thousand, according to official estimates, civilian casualties were recorded in Italy. The bombings happened within 24 hours of Mussolini declaring war on Britain and France, occurring until May of 1945. Almost every Italian city experienced a bombing, much by the British and American sides. Some of the bombings were even by the Germans, an apparent promise of help.
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Throughout the beginning of the war, various Italian cities were the subject to a bombing attack, and by 1943,
pretty much every Italian region had been subject to such an attack. Rome was finally attacked and bombed in
July of 1943, leading to mass destruction and causing Italy to surrender in September of 1943. The problem is
that the bombings continued after the Italian surrender, and nearly two-thirds of the casualties occurred between
the armistice and the end of the war nearly 2 years later.
10 Most Destroyed Countries During World War 2
9. Netherlands
The Netherlands, like others on this list, struggled significantly during World War 2, being attacked then occupied
by the Germans for 5 years. This started with the invasion in May of 1940 called the Battle of the Netherlands,
and ending with many Dutch people having had lost their homes. This was not it, they lost their rights, food,
and they were forced to work in factories by the Germans. Almost three-quarters of the Netherlands’ Jewish population
had been deported to concentration and extermination camps by the end of the war.
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The Germans attacked by blitzing Rotterdam, killing nearly a thousand civilians and destroying tens of thousands
of homes. The repression in Holland continued by the Germans, implementing anti-Jewish measures and forcing them
into work. In spite of their unorganized resistance efforts, the Dutch still amassed a massive toll, much of their
countryside having been destroyed and numerous dead.
10. Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia, now separate European nations, took a huge hit during the war, being caught in the crossfire of several
sides. On one end you have the Axis Powers, and the other you have the Communists, resistance groups and the Axis-aligned regimes, many fighting well beyond the war amongst themselves. The country took a massive hit in terms of
the death toll too, with estimates being around 1 million people killed. Much of this infighting among various factions
lasted for years, many being pro-Nazi.
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Most of the deaths were civilian, numbering around 580 thousand civilian deaths. Even with many of the foreign forces departing, much of the killing and mass murder continued, even continuing post-war. Much of the conflict from the war fed into conflicts that merged into the Cold War. A form of ethnic cleansing occurred, forcing the expulsion of
non-Slavic populations from the ethnic German and Hungarian communities and leaving well over a hundred thousand
dead between 1945 and 1948.
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10 Most Destroyed Countries During World War 2
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Additional Mentions: Austria, Australia, Czechoslovakia, United States, Scandinavia, etc.
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