EntranceWhat were the bloodiest wars in Russian history? The biggest wars by number of casualties All wars in the entire history of mankind
Throughout its history, humanity has been in a state of continuous war. Every year, conflicts arise that are resolved not through words and negotiations, but through weapons and the deaths of thousands of innocent people. The struggle is for territory, natural and human resources. IN chronological order starting from the most ancient and ending with the last major war, we will list and briefly describe the terrible pages of the history of the globe.
Rebellion of Ai Lushan (755-763)
For a long time, the bloodiest war in human history remained the civil war in China. Dubbed the Ai Lushan Mutiny. At this time, China was ruled by the Tang Dynasty. In the service of the emperor was Ai Lushan, who achieved influence in several border provinces.
In 755 he rebelled against the current ruler and proclaimed himself the new emperor. Despite the fact that in 757 the leader of the rebels was killed in his sleep, his comrades-in-arms in the struggle for power. They were able to completely suppress the uprising in the country 8 years after the start of the unrest in February 763. During the conflict, according to various sources, from 13 to 36 million people died, which is equal to the population of modern Canada 34 million people, and in those distant times it was 15% of the total population of the planet.
Formation and wars of the Mongol Empire of the 13th-15th centuries
The Mongol Empire is the largest state that has ever existed on Earth. The maximum size reached 24 million square kilometers, a huge empire in which many different peoples lived. The formation of the Empire began with the great warrior Genghis Khan, who united the warring tribes under his leadership.
After the formation of the Mongol state at the beginning of the 13th century, they waged continuous military campaigns. During all the wars that the Mongol Empire waged until its collapse in 1480, about 60 million people(the population of modern Italy), at that time it was from 10 to 17% of the population of the entire globe.
Rise to power of the Manchu dynasty (1616-1662)
Another power struggle in China leads to death 25 million people It was precisely this many lives that the rise to power of the Manchu dynasty of the last ruling imperial dynasty of China cost. Led by Nurhaci, who united dozens of tribes under his leadership and set out to conquer all of China.
The ruling Ming dynasty at that time had an overwhelming numerical advantage, but due to the stupid command it suffered a crushing defeat. Despite the death of Nurhaci in 1626, it was no longer possible to stop the bloodshed. During the struggle for power, about 5% of the Earth's population died, the numerical equivalent of the population of modern North Korea.
Napoleonic Wars(1799-1815)
Wars waged by France under Napoleon Bonaparte in Europe and Africa. Napoleon, who came to power on November 9, 1799, had huge plans to seize power not only in France, but also to establish dominance throughout Europe. These wars took place not only on the battlefield, but also at the diplomatic table, the rulers of states sought benefits from diplomatic alliances.
Depending on military successes, new agreements were concluded and existing agreements were terminated between countries. That's why Napoleonic Wars and consist of various types of military conflicts in which there were many different alliances and allies, including: the Third Coalition of 1805, the Fourth Coalition of 1806-1807, the Fifth Coalition of 1808-1809, the Patriotic War of 1812 and so on. During the wars in which most European countries were drawn, historians estimate that about 3-4 million people, which is the population of present-day Croatia.
World War I (Great War), (1914-1918)
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the political situation in Europe was tense, Germany and Great Britain were fighting for influence in both Europe and Africa. The assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo was the last straw, and the world plunged into war. A month later, on July 28, 1914, full-scale clashes began.
This military conflict ended on November 11, 1918. After the end of the war with geographical map disappeared, four great empires: Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and German. As a result, 34 states from all over took part in World War I globe. Died during the war about 65 million people(20 million directly in combat and about 45 million people from the massive Spanish flu epidemic). The battle losses in this war are equal to the population of modern Romania.
Participation in World War I, the weakening of the tsar's power, led to the revolution of 1917 and the collapse of imperial power in Russia. Civil War broke out on the ashes of the royal empire. A struggle for power began between the Bolsheviks and the “white movement”. Each opposing side pursued its own goals and ideals.
Some wanted a return to the old system, others were building a new country where power should belong to the people, others robbed and killed taking advantage of the chaos that arose in the country. In this fratricidal struggle, according to various estimates, people died 5.5 to 9 million people. This is the number of residents currently living in Belarus.
World War II (1939-1945)
After defeat in World War 1, the German people needed a new leader who would lead the country to new heights. Adolf Hitler became such a leader when he came to power in Germany. It is with the name of this man that the most terrible and bloody times that the population of our planet has ever experienced are associated. Second World War lasted 6 long years, from September 1, 1939 to September 2, 1945, 62 countries out of 73 that existed on Earth at that time took part in it. 80% of the entire world population was involved in this conflict.
The battle took place on the ground (on three continents), in the air and even under water (rivers, seas and oceans). In this war, for the first and only time this moment a terrible weapon was used - nuclear. According to historians, the war claimed lives from 40 to 72 million people. In our time, the population of only 18 countries exceeds the number of those killed in this terrible battle for peace on Earth.
The bloodiest battle in human history is Stalingrad. Nazi Germany lost 841,000 soldiers in the battle. USSR losses amounted to 1,130,000 people. Accordingly, the total number of deaths was 1,971,000 people.
By mid-summer 1942, the battles of the Great Patriotic War had reached the Volga. The German command also included Stalingrad in the plan for a large-scale offensive in the south of the USSR (Caucasus, Crimea). Hitler wanted to implement this plan in just a week with the help of Paulus's 6th Field Army. It included 13 divisions, with about 270,000 people, 3 thousand guns and about five hundred tanks. On the USSR side, German forces were opposed by the Stalingrad Front. It was created by decision of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command on July 12, 1942 (commander - Marshal Timoshenko, since July 23 - Lieutenant General Gordov).
On August 23, German tanks approached Stalingrad. From that day on, fascist aircraft began to systematically bomb the city. The battles on the ground also did not subside. The defending troops were ordered to hold the city with all their might. Every day the fighting became more and more fierce. All houses were turned into fortresses. The battles took place over floors, basements, and individual walls.
By November, the Germans had captured almost the entire city. Stalingrad was turned into complete ruins. The defending troops held only a low strip of land - a few hundred meters along the banks of the Volga. Hitler hastened to announce to the whole world the capture of Stalingrad.
On September 12, 1942, at the height of the battles for the city, the General Staff began developing offensive operation"Uranus". Marshal G.K. Zhukov was involved in its planning. The plan was to strike the flanks of the German wedge, which was defended by Allied troops (Italians, Romanians and Hungarians). Their formations were poorly armed and did not have high morale. Within two months, near Stalingrad, in conditions of the deepest secrecy, a strike force was created. The Germans understood the weakness of their flanks, but could not imagine that the Soviet command would be able to assemble such a number of combat-ready units.
On November 19, the Red Army, after powerful artillery preparation, launched an offensive with tank and mechanized units. Overthrowing Germany's allies, November 23 Soviet troops closed the ring, surrounding 22 divisions numbering 330 thousand soldiers.
Hitler rejected the option of retreat and ordered the commander-in-chief of the 6th Army, Paulus, to begin defensive battles in encirclement. The Wehrmacht command tried to release the encircled troops with a strike from the Don Army under the command of Manstein. There was an attempt to organize an air bridge, which was stopped by our aviation. The Soviet command presented an ultimatum to the encircled units. Realizing the hopelessness of their situation, on February 2, 1943, the remnants of the 6th Army in Stalingrad surrendered.
2 "Verdun Meat Grinder"
The Battle of Verdun was one of the largest and one of the bloodiest military operations in the First World War. It took place from February 21 to December 18, 1916 between the troops of France and Germany. Each side tried unsuccessfully to break through the enemy's defenses and launch a decisive offensive. During the nine months of battle, the front line remained virtually unchanged. Neither side achieved a strategic advantage. It was no coincidence that contemporaries called the Battle of Verdun a “meat grinder.” 305,000 soldiers and officers on both sides lost their lives in a futile confrontation. The losses of the French army, including killed and wounded, amounted to 543 thousand people, and the German army - 434 thousand. 70 French and 50 German divisions passed through the “Verdun meat grinder”.
After a series of bloody battles on both fronts in 1914-1915, Germany did not have the forces to attack on a wide front, so the goal of the offensive was a powerful blow in a narrow area - in the area of the Verdun fortified area. Breaking through the French defense, encircling and defeating 8 French divisions would mean free passage to Paris, followed by the surrender of France.
On a small section of the front 15 km long, Germany concentrated 6.5 divisions against 2 French divisions. To maintain a continuous offensive, additional reserves could be introduced. The skies were cleared of French aircraft so that German fire spotters and bombers could operate unhindered.
The Verdun operation began on February 21. After a massive 8-hour artillery preparation, German troops went on the offensive on the right bank of the Meuse River, but met stubborn resistance. The German infantry led the attack in dense combat formations. During the first day of the offensive, German troops advanced 2 km and occupied the first French position. In the following days, the offensive was carried out according to the same pattern: during the day the artillery destroyed the next position, and by the evening the infantry occupied it.
By February 25, the French had lost almost all of their forts. The Germans managed to take the important fort of Douaumont almost without resistance. However, the French command took measures to eliminate the threat of encirclement of the Verdun fortified area. Along the only highway connecting Verdun with the rear, troops from other sectors of the front were transferred in 6,000 vehicles. During the period from February 27 to March 6, about 190 thousand soldiers and 25 thousand tons of military cargo were delivered to Verdun by vehicles. Offensive German troops was stopped by almost one and a half superiority in manpower.
The battle became protracted; from March the Germans transferred the main blow to the left bank of the river. After intense fighting, German troops managed to advance only 6-7 km by May.
The last attempt to capture Verdun was made by the Germans on June 22, 1916. They acted, as always, according to a template: first, a powerful artillery barrage was followed by the use of gas, then the thirty-thousandth German vanguard went on the attack, acting with the desperation of the doomed. The advancing vanguard managed to destroy the opposing French division and even take Fort Tiamon, located only three kilometers north of Verdun, the walls of the Verdun Cathedral were already visible ahead, but there was simply no one to continue the attack further, the advancing German troops were killed on the battlefield almost completely, reserves ran out, the general offensive floundered.
Brusilovsky breakthrough on Eastern Front and the Entente operation on the Somme River forced German troops to go on the defensive in the fall, and on October 24, French troops went on the offensive and by the end of December reached the positions they occupied on February 25, pushing the enemy 2 km from Fort Douamont.
The battle did not bring any tactical or strategic results - by December 1916, the front line had moved to the lines occupied by both armies by February 25, 1916.
3 Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War, with more than 1,000,000 people killed and wounded, making it one of the deadliest battles in human history. On the first day of the campaign alone, July 1, 1916, the British landing force lost 60,000 people. The operation dragged on for five months. The number of divisions participating in the battle increased from 33 to 149. As a result, French losses amounted to 204,253 people, British - 419,654 people, a total of 623,907 people, of which 146,431 people were killed and missing. German losses amounted to more than 465,000 people, of which 164,055 were killed and missing.
The offensive plan on all fronts, including the Western, was developed and approved at the beginning of March 1916 in Chantilly. The combined army of the French and British was supposed to launch an attack on fortified German positions in early July, and the Russian and Italian 15 days earlier. In May, the plan was significantly changed; the French, having lost over half a million soldiers killed at Verdun, could no longer field in the upcoming battle the number of soldiers that the allies demanded. As a result, the length of the front was reduced from 70 to 40 kilometers.
On June 24, British artillery began intensive shelling of German positions near the Somme River. As a result of this shelling, the Germans lost more than half of all their artillery and the entire first line of defense, after which they immediately began to pull reserve divisions into the breakthrough area.
On July 1, as planned, the infantry was launched, which easily overcame the practically destroyed first line of German troops, but when moving to the second and third positions, it lost a huge number of soldiers and was driven back. On this day, over 20 thousand British and French soldiers died, more than 35 thousand were seriously injured, some of them were taken prisoner. At the same time, the outnumbered French not only captured and held the second line of defense, but also took Barle, however, leaving it a few hours later, since the commander was not ready for such a rapid development of events and ordered a retreat. A new offensive on the French sector of the front began only on July 5, but by this time the Germans had pulled several additional divisions to this area, as a result several thousand soldiers died, but the city that was so recklessly abandoned was not taken. The French tried to capture Barle from the moment of their retreat in July until October.
Just a month after the start of the battle, the British and French lost so many soldiers that 9 additional divisions were brought into the battle, while Germany transferred as many as 20 divisions to the Somme. By August, against 500 British aircraft, the Germans were able to field only 300, and against 52 divisions, only 31.
The situation for Germany became greatly complicated after the Russian troops carried out the Brusilov breakthrough; the German command exhausted all its reserves and was forced to switch to a planned defense with the last of its strength, not only on the Somme, but also near Verdun.
Under these conditions, the British decided to make another breakthrough attempt, scheduled for September 3, 1916. After the artillery shelling, all available reserves, including French ones, were brought into action, and on September 15, tanks went into battle for the first time. In total, the command had about 50 tanks with a well-trained crew at its disposal, but only 18 of them actually took part in the battle. A big miscalculation of the designers and developers of the tank offensive was discarding the fact that the area near the river was swampy, and the bulky, clumsy tanks simply could not get out of the swampy quagmire. However, the British were able to advance several tens of kilometers deep into enemy positions and on September 27 they were able to capture the heights between the Somme River and the small Ancre River.
A further offensive made no sense, since the exhausted soldiers would not have been able to hold the positions they had regained, therefore, despite several offensive attempts made in October, in fact, since November, no military operations had been carried out in this area, and the operation was completed.
4 Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of the Nations, is the largest battle in the series of Napoleonic Wars and in world history before the First World War. According to rough estimates, the French army lost 70-80 thousand soldiers near Leipzig, of which approximately 40 thousand were killed and wounded, 15 thousand prisoners, another 15 thousand were captured in hospitals and up to 5 thousand Saxons went over to the Allied side. According to the French historian T. Lenz, the losses of the Napoleonic army amounted to 70 thousand killed, wounded and prisoners, another 15-20 thousand German soldiers went over to the Allied side. In addition to combat losses, the lives of soldiers of the retreating army were claimed by a typhus epidemic. Allied losses amounted to up to 54 thousand killed and wounded, of which up to 23 thousand Russians, 16 thousand Prussians, 15 thousand Austrians and 180 Swedes.
From October 16 to 19, 1813, a battle took place near Leipzig between the armies of Napoleon I and the sovereigns united against him: Russian, Austrian, Prussian and Swedish. The forces of the latter were divided into three armies: Bohemian (main), Silesian and northern, but of these, only the first two took part in the battle on October 16. The bloody actions of that day did not bring any significant results.
On October 17, both warring sides remained inactive, and only on the northern side of Leipzig did a cavalry skirmish occur. During this day, the position of the French deteriorated significantly, since only one corps of Rainier (15 thousand) came to reinforce them, and the allies were strengthened by the newly arrived northern army. Napoleon found out about this, but did not dare to retreat, because, retreating, he left the possessions of his ally, the King of Saxony, at the mercy of the enemies, and finally abandoned the French garrisons scattered at different points on the Vistula, Oder and Elbe to the mercy of fate. By the evening of the 17th, he pulled his troops to new positions, closer to Leipzig; on October 18, the allies resumed their attack along the entire line, but, despite the enormous superiority of their forces, the result of the battle was again far from decisive: on Napoleon’s right wing all attacks of the Bohemian army were repulsed; in the center the French ceded several villages and moved back to Leipzig; their left wing held its position north of Leipzig; in the rear, the French retreat route to Weissenfels remained clear.
The main reasons for the small success of the Allies were the timing of their attacks and the inaction of the reserve, which Prince Schwarzenberg was unable or unwilling to use properly, contrary to the insistence of Emperor Alexander. Meanwhile, Napoleon, taking advantage of the fact that the route of retreat remained open, began to send back his convoys and separate units of troops even before noon, and on the night of 18-19 the entire French army retreated to Leipzig and beyond. For the defense of the city itself, 4 corps were left. The commander of the rearguard, MacDonald, was ordered to hold out until at least 12 o'clock the next day, and then retreat, blowing up the only bridge on the Elster River behind him.
On the morning of October 19, a new Allied attack followed. Around one o'clock in the afternoon, the allied monarchs could already enter the city, in some parts of which fierce battle was still in full swing. Due to a disastrous mistake for the French, the bridge on Elster was blown up prematurely. The cut-off troops of their rearguard were partly captured, and partly died trying to escape by swimming across the river.
The Battle of Leipzig, due to the size of the forces of both sides (Napoleon had 190 thousand, with 700 guns; the Allies had up to 300 thousand and more than 1300 guns) and due to its enormous consequences, is called by the Germans “the battle of the nations.” The consequence of this battle was the liberation of Germany and the fall of the troops of the Confederation of the Rhine from Napoleon.
5 Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino is considered the bloodiest one-day battle in history. During it, every hour, according to the most conservative estimates, about 6 thousand people were killed or injured. During the battle, the Russian army lost about 30% of its strength, the French - about 25%. In absolute numbers, this is about 60 thousand killed on both sides. But, according to some sources, up to 100 thousand people were killed during the battle and died later from injuries.
The Battle of Borodino took place 125 kilometers west of Moscow, near the village of Borodino, on August 26 (September 7, old style) 1812. French troops under the leadership of Napoleon I Bonaparte invaded the territory of the Russian Empire in June 1812 and by the end of August reached the capital itself. Russian troops constantly retreated and, naturally, caused great discontent both among society and Emperor Alexander I himself. To turn the situation around, Commander-in-Chief Barclay de Tolly was removed, and Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov took his place. But also a new leader Russian army chose to retreat: on the one hand, he wanted to wear down the enemy, on the other, Kutuzov was waiting for reinforcements to give a general battle. After the retreat near Smolensk, Kutuzov’s army settled down near the village of Borodino - there was nowhere to retreat further. It was here that the most famous battle of the entire Patriotic War of 1812 took place.
At 6 am, French artillery opened fire along the entire front. The French troops lined up for the attack launched their onslaught on the Life Guards Jaeger Regiment. Desperately resisting, the regiment retreated beyond the Koloch River. The flashes, which would become known as the Bagrationovs, protected the chasseur regiments of Prince Shakhovsky from encircling. Ahead, the rangers also lined up in a cordon. Major General Neverovsky's division occupied positions behind the flushes.
The troops of Major General Duka occupied the Semenovsky Heights. This sector was attacked by the cavalry of Marshal Murat, the troops of Marshals Ney and Davout, and the corps of General Junot. The number of attackers reached 115 thousand people.
The course of the Battle of Borodino, after the repelled attacks of the French at 6 and 7 o'clock, continued with another attempt to take flushes on the left flank. By that time, they were reinforced by the Izmailovsky and Lithuanian regiments, Konovnitsin’s division and cavalry units. On the French side, it was in this area that serious artillery forces were concentrated - 160 guns. However, subsequent attacks (at 8 and 9 am) were, despite the incredible intensity of the fighting, completely unsuccessful. The French briefly managed to capture flushes at 9 am. But they were soon driven out from the Russian fortifications by a powerful counterattack. The dilapidated flashes stubbornly held on, repelling subsequent enemy attacks.
Konovnitsin withdrew his troops to Semenovskoye only after holding these fortifications ceased to be necessary. The Semenovsky ravine became the new line of defense. The exhausted troops of Davout and Murat, who did not receive reinforcements (Napoleon did not dare to bring the Old Guard into the battle), were unable to carry out a successful attack.
The situation was extremely difficult in other areas as well. Kurgan Heights was attacked at the same time that the battle for taking flushes was raging on the left flank. Raevsky's battery held the height, despite the powerful onslaught of the French under the command of Eugene Beauharnais. After reinforcements arrived, the French were forced to retreat.
The actions on the right flank were no less intense. Lieutenant General Uvarov and Ataman Platov, with a cavalry raid deep into enemy positions, carried out at about 10 o’clock in the morning, drew off significant French forces. This made it possible to weaken the onslaught along the entire front. Platov was able to reach the rear of the French (Valuevo area), which suspended the offensive in the central direction. Uvarov made an equally successful maneuver in the Bezzubovo area.
The Battle of Borodino lasted all day and began to gradually subside only at 6 o’clock in the evening. Another attempt to bypass Russian positions was successfully repulsed by soldiers of the Life Guards of the Finnish Regiment in the Utitsky Forest. After this, Napoleon gave the order to retreat to their original positions. The Battle of Borodino lasted more than 12 hours.
War – the mere mention of this word makes one’s soul feel anxious. Even if a person has never found himself in the center of any military events, but simply watched a movie about war on TV, he already understands how creepy and scary it is.
As civilization developed, methods of warfare also developed, and if in the beginning it was possible to kill 10 people with a bow, and then kill yourself, now progress has reached the destruction of huge cities with a single bomb.
It’s worth thinking about what these consequences of technological development will lead to? But the world cannot live without wars and never could, weapons are becoming more and more improved, and people are becoming more and more vulnerable.
5th place: Napoleonic wars from 1799 to 1815
Napoleon Bonaparte is the great French commander who came to power in 1799 to conquer the whole world and raise France from its knees. However, even before he came to rule, he drew up a plan to conquer the world and began to implement it. As a result, the wars of the Third (1803-1805), Fourth (1806-1807), Fifth Coalitions (1808-1809) and the Patriotic War in 1812 led to colossal losses human lives, about 3.5 million, but even despite this, Napoleon failed to implement his plan and his army was destroyed at the Battle of Waterloo. I had to return home with nothing.
4th place: Civil war in Russia from 1917 to 1923
The overthrow of the Tsar became very difficult for Russia and in truth troubled times. It’s one thing when your country is attacked by an enemy and you need to defend your Motherland, but it’s another thing when you are attacked by people who just yesterday were your neighbors in the yard, and today they changed their political opinion and became your enemies, this is exactly what happened in Russia. The country was divided into reds (for new order- democracy) and whites (for the old order - monarchy). At the most conservative estimates, 5.5 million people died in the civil war, but these are such average figures that it is difficult to judge their reliability.
3rd place: First World War from 1914 to 1918
This war received its name after the end of World War II, and at that time it was called the Great War or the Great Patriotic War. The prerequisite for the outbreak of hostilities was the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand by a certain student terrorist from Bosnia. After this, peace could not be established for another 4 years. During this war, about 11 million people died and such great empires as Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and German collapsed.
2nd place: Wars of the Mongol Empire 13-15 centuries
The Mongol-Tatar yoke is an expression that terrified the people who lived at that time. It was truly a state with a territory that is difficult to even imagine - 24 million square meters, and this is so, plus or minus. Over such a considerable period of time, about 17% of the population on earth died. These are amazing numbers, but the Mongolian state ceased to exist, and with it the war, in 1480, when, under Grand Duke Ivan 3, Moscow State completely freed from Mongol-Tatar oppression.
1st place: World War II from 1939 to 1945
The most terrible war on Earth, the bloodiest, most cruel and unprincipled. Almost all states on the planet took part in this war (62 out of 73 existing at that time). The war started Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, became a disaster for the entire planet.
Battles were fought in the air, at sea, and on land. Wherever it was possible to fight, the Nazis visited, built concentration camps, work camps, prisons, people were destroyed by millions, as unworthy to live on earth. Fascist and Nazi theories were based on clearing the world of subhumans. And, if we take into account the total human losses during this war, the numbers are difficult to even imagine - this is 65 million people, the lion's share of this amount were citizens of the Soviet Union.
This war was the most destructive in material and everyday terms. It took more than a decade and the backbreaking work of people to restore countries after it. Also, this is the first war in which atomic weapons were used as weapons of mass destruction.
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Almost any significant date in the history of mankind is associated with a military conflict, if not with victory or defeat, then at least with their consequences. Wars break out in the struggle for territory, resources, power, ideas, and even violated honor. Their cruelty sometimes frightens the imagination. Bloody battles, millions of dead, destruction, pain and suffering of survivors - what was it for?
We did not dare to categorize wars based on the nominal number of victims, because the magnitude of losses does not always indicate the degree of cruelty. Many wars were accompanied by epidemics, famines, etc., causing most of the losses. In addition, losses in the war 2000 years ago are not comparable with modern ones, since then only 300,000,000 people lived on Earth, and now there are 25 times more.
| N | date(years) | Victims(Human) | |
| 1 | 66-73 | 800 000 | |
| 2 | 220-280 | 40 000 000 | |
| 3 | 755-763 | 15-35 000 000 | |
| 4 | 1207-1308 | 50-70 000 000 | |
| 5 | 1492-1691 | 120 000 000 | |
| 6 | 1562-1598 | 4 000 000 | |
| 7 | 1618-1648 | 8 000 000 | |
| 8 | 1616-1662 | 25 000 000 | |
| 9 | 1799-1815 | 3-4 000 000 | |
| 10 | 1816-1828 | 2 000 000 | |
| 11 | 1850-1864 | 20-100 000 000 | |
| 12 | 1910-1920 | 1.5-2 000 000 | |
| 13 | 1914-1918 | 20 000 000 | |
| 14 | 1917-1922 | 20 000 000 | |
| 15 | 1939-1945 | 68 000 000 | |
| 16 | 1927-1950 | 8 000 000 | |
| 17 | 1950-1953 | 1 300 000 | |
| 18 | 1955-1975 | 4 000 000 | |
| 19 | 1980-1988 | 1 500 000 | |
| 20 | 1998-2002 | 5 500 000 |
First Jewish War (66 -73 AD)
At the beginning of 66, the oldest recorded military conflict occurred. The Jews of Israel and Palestine rebelled against the Roman invaders. The reason was the looting of the temple treasury by the procurator Flavius.
One of major events ancient war- the siege of Jerusalem by four Roman cohorts led by Titus, son of Emperor Vespasian. In 70, when the events described took place, the city was a large, strong fortress with a triple line of defensive walls. The Jews bravely defended themselves and, despite severe hunger, held the siege for about six months. Having captured the fortress, the Roman army plundered and burned the main shrine of Judaism - the Temple of Jerusalem. During the blockade, 200 thousand people died from exhaustion, and the entire war claimed more than 800 thousand dead. The number of those captured and sold into slavery is incalculable.
Wars of the Three Kingdoms in China (220 – 280)
China in the first millennium AD was characterized by frequent bloody internecine conflicts. The fall of the ruling Han dynasty led to the division of the country into three kingdoms - Wu in the southeast, Shu in the southwest and Wei in the north.
The new rulers constantly waged bloody wars, trying to seize and subjugate neighboring territories to their power. The sixty-year era of the Three Kingdoms ended with the victory of the northern state of Wei and the subjugation of the southern kingdoms. China became a unified country again, but only for a few decades. During this historical period, a number of fierce battles took place, claiming the lives of about 40 million people.
Chinese civil wars (755 – 763)
One of the biggest bloodsheds ancient history counts internecine war in the Chinese provinces during the Tang Dynasty. The outbreak of military conflicts provoked an uprising led by the military leader of the border provinces An Lushan, a Turk (or Sogdian) by origin. Having declared himself emperor, the rebel held power for 2 years and was killed by his own eunuch.
Despite the death of the leader, which was carefully hidden, the companions continued the war with the ruling dynastic clan. The last outbreaks of the uprising could only be extinguished by 763. Over the 8 years of military confrontation, the population of China decreased, according to various sources, by 15 - 35 million people, which at that time amounted to more than half of the total population of China.
Mongol conquests (1207 – 1308)
The formation of the Mongol Empire as the largest state ever world history happened at the beginning of the 13th century. The area of imperial conquests was about 24 million square meters. km. Genghis Khan laid the foundation for the formation of the great state; his warriors conquered Asia and eastern Europe.
The Mongol raids continued for 2 centuries and are considered the longest and deadliest military conflict in human history. Collapse great power occurred after the death of Tamerlane, the last famous commander of the Turko-Mongol empire. Victories over the Egyptian and Syrian Mamluks, the Delhi Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire gained the unquestioned authority of his name. During the military conflicts, the population of the conquered countries decreased (according to various estimates) by 50 - 70 million people, which amounted to from 12 to 18% of the inhabitants of the entire planet.
Colonization of the American continent (1492 – 1691)
The colonial wars in America began in the 10th century, long before Columbus, in the territories of modern Canada. But the period of the most brutal battles occurred at the end of the 15th – 18th centuries.
A huge number of Indian tribes lived on the new continent, existing in their own socio-historical “vacuum”. The Aborigines did not have firearms and became easy prey for the first colonialists. Their barbaric extermination, destruction of culture and plunder of the natural resources of the continent continued for more than two centuries. It is impossible to calculate the exact number of victims; there is no historical data on the indigenous population of the continent. Some estimates put the death toll at around 120 million.
Religious medieval conflicts in France (1562 – 1598)
Civil strife in France in the late 16th century is known in historical records as the Huguenot Wars. The confrontation between the Catholic and Protestant faiths resulted in an innumerable number of bloody military conflicts, and historical disputes are still ongoing about their exact number.
End thirty years of conflict Henry lV put it by issuing an edict on complete equality of Catholics and Protestants. By that time, population losses amounted to about 4 million dead. Oddly enough, the religious conflict tempered and strengthened France. The cessation of feudal revolts and the centralization of the state made it the strongest in Europe.
Thirty Years' European War (1618 – 1648)
The medieval conflict for political and military supremacy in central Europe was provoked by the schism of the Holy Roman Papacy. The confrontation between the Protestant and Catholic powers resulted in one of the bloodiest and long wars in the general history of Europe. Military operations took place on the territories of most large states, the total losses amounted to about 8 million people, including civilians.
This war is considered the last European religious conflict, after which interstate relations began to be exclusively secular in nature. The signing of the Peace of Westphalia secured territorial boundaries and became the main protocol for concluding international treaties.
Manchu conquest of China (1616 – 1662)
Seizure of power in China by the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the last imperial clan ancient state, was marked by half a century of bloodshed. One of the vassals of the ruling Ming Emperor rebelled and united the northern provinces of the Jurchens under his command. Having declared himself khan, Aisingyoro Nurhatsi led dozens of united tribes to conquer the entire territory of the Chinese kingdom.
Despite the death of the leader in 1626, it was not possible to stop the military conflict. Numerical superiority imperial army did not help the Ming dynasty maintain power, and it suffered a crushing defeat. Another internecine conflict claimed the lives of more than 25 million people.
Napoleonic Wars (1799 – 1815)
Having come to power and proclaiming himself emperor in November 1799, Bonaparte hatched plans to conquer not only Europe, but also world domination. His army made campaigns across the Indian and atlantic oceans, leading military campaigns in Africa and India.
A talented commander significantly expanded French possessions through military victories and diplomacy. Without hesitation, he tore off old ones and entered into new, more profitable alliances with other states, pursuing his own political goals. This is how 3, 4, 5 coalitions were formed, plus an alliance in Patriotic War 1812 Military fortunes turned against Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo during the 7th anti-Napoleonic coalition. The number of deaths during military conflicts ranges from 3 to 4 million people.
Chuck Wars (beginning 1816 – 1828)
The world did not know the history of the African continent until the first Europeans appeared on its coast. The Aborigines did not have a written language. The period of the first half of the 19th century was marked for South Africa by the conquests of Chaka, the famous Zulu monarch.
Having come to power in 1816, the illegitimate son of Senzangakon began measures to carry out military reforms and mobilized all men between 20 and 40 years of age for service. Thanks to the talent of the commander, his army won brilliant victories over superior enemy forces. Chaka increased the territory of his possessions 100 times, plundering and scattering independent tribes throughout the south of the continent. According to experts, about 2 million people were destroyed.
Taiping Rebellion (1850 – 1864)
The history of Chinese internecine conflicts is amazing in the number of victims. The seizure of power by the Manchu Qing dynasty and its brutal rule provoked one of the bloodiest “Peasant” Wars in Chinese history. Having rebelled with good intentions to free the people, the leaders quickly lost control over the conduct of hostilities and drowned the country in a bloodbath.
Only documented facts indicate that 20 million died from violent acts. According to unofficial evidence from historians, the number of victims is about 100 million.
Mexican Revolution (1910 – 1920)
The revolutionary movement in Mexico at the beginning of the 20th century was similar to all revolutions in the world, but was characterized by an extremely high percentage of civilian casualties. With a population of 15 million people at that time, according to various estimates, from 1.5 to 2 million died and more than 200 thousand emigrated from the country.
The revolution began with an uprising against the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, which developed into a civil war that lasted almost 10 years. This military conflict was of great historical significance. The country gained independence, adopted a new constitution and held agrarian reforms. The Mexican Revolution had a great influence on the socio-political life of the entire Latin America 20th century.
First World War (1914 – 1918)
The second decade of the 20th century was marked by one of the most large-scale military campaigns with the participation of first European and then world powers. The military conflict began with the murder of the Austrian ambassador to Montenegro. The tense political situation between Germany and England for influence in the European and African bridgeheads led to the split of states into two blocs - the “Entente” with the participation of Russia, Great Britain and France and the “Quadruple Alliance” with the entry of the German, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires, as well as the Bulgarian kingdom.
The bloody battles resulted in the disappearance of political map 4 empires - Germany, Ottomania, Austria-Hungary and Russia. 35 states were involved in the cycle of the First World War and about 20 million people died on the battlefields, about 45 million died from a catastrophic influenza epidemic.
Russian Civil War (1917 - 1922)
The second revolutionary coup in October 1917 led Russia to a civil confrontation between supporters of the monarchical system and the Bolshevik Party. A feature of the fratricidal war was the participation of the Entente countries in it, which provoked even greater destruction on the territory of the state and led Russia to a political-economic and civilizational crisis.
The result of military clashes between the two largest military groups - the Red and White Armies - was the destruction of about 20 million people, most of them the civilian population of the country. Civil clash on fragments Russian Empire has been described by European historians as the greatest national disaster.
World War II (1939 – 1945)
The number of victims in the Second World War, the most massive and bloody nightmare of the 20th century, cannot be accurately calculated. 72 states were drawn into the madness of war, and military operations were carried out on the territories of 40 countries. About 100 million people, including women, old people and children, were subjected to military and labor mobilization in the USSR alone.
About 28 million soldiers of the opposing armies died in full-scale military conflicts. Losses among the civilian population, according to the most conservative estimates, amount to about 60 million human lives. Unfortunately, in our time, attempts are being made to rewrite history and erase concentration camps and the first nuclear bombings from human memory.
Chinese Civil War (1927 – 1950)
China, with its multi-million population, is breaking all records of sacrifice in the struggle for its development. The long conflict between the Kuomintang, supported by the American bourgeoisie, and the Chinese Communist Party lasted more than 20 years. Basic fighting unfolded after the end of World War II and led to the formation of two states - Taiwan (an island state) and the People's Republic of China (mainland China).
The war led to the liberation of China from feudal-landlord oppression and the dominance of foreign imperialists. The clashes between the opposing armies were remembered for savage atrocities on both sides. More than 8 million civilians were tortured and killed.
Korean War (1950 – 1958)
The military conflict on the isthmus of the Korean Peninsula began with the invasion of the PRC army into the territory of its southern neighbor. The rapid advance of the North Korean army forced the United States and then the United Nations to take sides South Korea. Pilots provided support to the DPRK Soviet Union and China.
The alternating success of the Korean armies caused so much destruction and casualties on both sides that an armistice was signed in July 1953. Having created a demilitarized zone and exchanged prisoners of war, the Korean states postponed the signing of a peace treaty indefinitely and, technically, they are still at war. The military conflict claimed the lives of 1.3 million Koreans.
Vietnam War (1957 – 1975)
The large-scale and bloody Vietnam War began with the uprising of the communist underground of South Vietnam. After 2 years, North Vietnamese troops came to the aid of the rebels, and from 1961 the United States directly entered into the military conflict. A contingent of American troops launched a monstrous aerial bombardment of northern Vietnam using napalm and chemical weapons. 15% of the entire territory of Vietnam was exposed to toxic substances.
During the military conflict, more than a million Viet Cogs were killed - soldiers of North Vietnam and about 2.6 million civilians of both countries. The US Army lost about 60 thousand soldiers killed and more than 1,800 missing. The consequence of the monstrous war was the birth of more than half a million Vietnamese children with congenital anomalies and developmental defects at the level of genetic mutations. However, the United States was never charged with officially using chemical weapons.
Iran-Iraq armed conflict (1980 – 1988)
Military operations in the Middle East bridgehead in the penultimate decade of the 20th century began with the invasion of the Iraqi army into the sovereign space of Iran. The armed conflict was provoked by religious differences and opportunistic sentiments of nearby powers. An Israeli Air Force attack on nuclear reactor engineering development sites in Iraq delayed the country's energy supply program for many years.
The military conflict had dire consequences for both sides; almost no one won. Losses were estimated at 200 thousand soldiers of the Iraqi army and 500 thousand soldiers from the Iranian side. In addition, about 25 thousand civilians were affected. In total, the countries lost about one and a half percent of their population.
Great African War (1998 – 2002)
The name of the Second Congo War on the African continent is associated with one of the most significant bloodsheds of the late 20th century. The conflict was provoked by ethnic tensions and genocide in the Republic of Rwanda, the consequences of which spread to the territory of the republican democracy of the Congo.
Bloody battles with the direct participation of 9 major continental powers, which created more than 20 armed groups, led to the destruction of almost 5.5 million people. What’s sad is that about half the population died (at the turn of the 21st century!) from epidemics and famine. The military campaign was accompanied by savagery - about half a million women were subjected to sexual violence, even five-year-olds were not spared, and cases of dismemberment and cannibalism were also recorded.
Various wars occupy a huge place in the history of mankind.
They redrew maps, gave birth to empires, and destroyed peoples and nations. The earth remembers wars that lasted more than a century. We remember the most protracted military conflicts in human history.
1. War without shots (335 years)
The longest and most curious of the wars is the war between the Netherlands and the Scilly Archipelago, part of Great Britain.
Due to the absence of a peace treaty, it formally lasted 335 years without firing a single shot, which makes it one of the longest and most curious wars in history, and also the war with the least losses.
Peace was officially declared in 1986.
2. Punic War(118 years old)
By the middle of the 3rd century BC. The Romans almost completely subjugated Italy, set their sights on the entire Mediterranean and wanted Sicily first. But the mighty Carthage also laid claim to this rich island.
Their claims unleashed 3 wars that lasted (with interruptions) from 264 to 146. BC. and received their name from the Latin name of the Phoenicians-Carthaginians (Punians).
The first (264-241) is 23 years old (it started because of Sicily).
The second (218-201) - 17 years (after the capture of the Spanish city of Sagunta by Hannibal).
The last one (149-146) - 3 years.
It was then that the famous phrase “Carthage must be destroyed!” was born. Pure military action took 43 years. The conflict totals 118 years.
Results: Besieged Carthage fell. Rome won.
3. Hundred Years' War (116 years)
It went in 4 stages. With pauses for truces (the longest - 10 years) and the fight against plague (1348) from 1337 to 1453.
Opponents: England and France.
Reasons: France wanted to oust England from the southwestern lands of Aquitaine and complete the unification of the country. England - to strengthen influence in the province of Guienne and regain those lost under John the Landless - Normandy, Maine, Anjou. Complication: Flanders - formally was under the auspices of the French crown, in fact it was free, but depended on English wool for cloth making.
Reason: the claims of the English king Edward III of the Plantagenet-Angevin dynasty (maternal grandson of the French king Philip IV the Fair of the Capetian family) to the Gallic throne. Allies: England - German feudal lords and Flanders. France - Scotland and the Pope. Army: English - mercenary. Under the command of the king. The basis is infantry (archers) and knightly units. French - knightly militia, under the leadership of royal vassals.
Turning point: after the execution of Joan of Arc in 1431 and the Battle of Normandy, the national liberation war of the French people began with the tactics of guerrilla raids.
Results: On October 19, 1453, the English army capitulated in Bordeaux. Having lost everything on the continent except the port of Calais (remained English for another 100 years). France switched to a regular army, abandoned knightly cavalry, gave preference to infantry, and the first firearms appeared.
4. Greco-Persian War (50 years)
Collectively - wars. They dragged on with calm from 499 to 449. BC. They are divided into two (the first - 492-490, the second - 480-479) or three (the first - 492, the second - 490, the third - 480-479 (449). For the Greek city-states - battles for independence. For the Achaeminid Empire - aggressive. 
Trigger: Ionian Revolt. The battle of the Spartans at Thermopylae has become legendary. The Battle of Salamis was a turning point. “Kalliev Mir” put an end to it.
Results: Persia lost the Aegean Sea, the coasts of the Hellespont and the Bosphorus. Recognized the freedoms of the cities of Asia Minor. The civilization of the ancient Greeks entered a time of greatest prosperity, establishing a culture that, thousands of years later, the world looked up to.
4. Punic War. The battles lasted 43 years. They are divided into three stages of wars between Rome and Carthage. They fought for dominance in the Mediterranean. The Romans won the battle. Basetop.ru
5. Guatemalan War (36 years)
Civil. It occurred in outbreaks from 1960 to 1996. Provocative decision made American President Eisenhower in 1954, initiated a coup.
Reason: the fight against the “communist infection”.
Opponents: Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity Bloc and the military junta.
Victims: almost 6 thousand murders were committed annually, in the 80s alone - 669 massacres, more than 200 thousand dead (83% of them Mayan Indians), over 150 thousand missing. Results: the signing of the “Treaty of Lasting and Lasting Peace,” which protected the rights of 23 Native American groups.
Results: the signing of the “Treaty of Lasting and Lasting Peace,” which protected the rights of 23 Native American groups.
6. War of the Roses (33 years)
Confrontation between the English nobility - supporters of two family branches of the Plantagenet dynasty - Lancaster and York. Lasted from 1455 to 1485.
Prerequisites: “bastard feudalism” - the privilege of the English nobility to buy off military service the lord, in whose hands large funds were concentrated, with which he paid for an army of mercenaries, which became more powerful than the royal one.
Reason: England's defeat in Hundred Years' War, the impoverishment of the feudal lords, their rejection of the political course of the wife of the feeble-minded King Henry IV, hatred of her favorites.
Opposition: Duke Richard of York - considered the Lancastrian right to rule illegitimate, became regent under an incompetent monarch, became king in 1483, was killed at the Battle of Bosworth.
Results: It upset the balance of political forces in Europe. Led to the collapse of the Plantagenets. She placed the Welsh Tudors on the throne, who ruled England for 117 years. Cost the lives of hundreds of English aristocrats.
7. Thirty Years' War(30 years)
The first military conflict on a pan-European scale. Lasted from 1618 to 1648. Opponents: two coalitions. The first is the union of the Holy Roman Empire (in fact, the Austrian Empire) with Spain and the Catholic principalities of Germany. The second is the German states, where power was in the hands of Protestant princes. They were supported by the armies of reformist Sweden and Denmark and Catholic France.
Reason: The Catholic League was afraid of the spread of the ideas of the Reformation in Europe, the Protestant Evangelical Union strived for this.
Trigger: Czech Protestant uprising against Austrian rule.
Results: The population of Germany has decreased by a third. The French army lost 80 thousand. Austria and Spain - more than 120. After the Peace Treaty of Munster in 1648, a new independent state - the Republic of the United Provinces of the Netherlands (Holland) - was finally established on the map of Europe.
8. Peloponnesian War (27 years)
There are two of them. The first is the Lesser Peloponnesian (460-445 BC). The second (431-404 BC) is the largest in the history of Ancient Hellas after the first Persian invasion of the territory of Balkan Greece. (492-490 BC).
Opponents: Peloponnesian League led by Sparta and First Marine (Delian) under the auspices of Athens.
Reasons: The desire for hegemony in the Greek world of Athens and the rejection of their claims by Sparta and Corinthus.
Controversies: Athens was ruled by an oligarchy. Sparta is a military aristocracy. Ethnically, the Athenians were Ionians, the Spartans were Dorians. In the second, 2 periods are distinguished.
The first is "Archidam's War". The Spartans made land invasions of Attica. Athenians - sea raids on the Peloponnesian coast. Ended in 421 with the signing of the Treaty of Nikiaev. 6 years later it was violated by the Athenian side, which was defeated in the Battle of Syracuse. The final phase went down in history under the name Dekelei or Ionian. With the support of Persia, Sparta built a fleet and destroyed the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami.
Results: After imprisonment in April 404 BC. Feramenov's world Athens lost its fleet, tore down the Long Walls, lost all its colonies and joined the Spartan Union.
9. Great Northern War (21 years)
The Northern War lasted for 21 years. It was between the northern states and Sweden (1700-1721), the confrontation between Peter I and Charles XII. Russia fought mostly on its own.
Reason: Possession of Baltic lands, control over the Baltic.
Results: With the end of the war, a new empire arose in Europe - the Russian one, with access to the Baltic Sea and possessing a powerful army and navy. The capital of the empire was St. Petersburg, located at the confluence of the Neva River and the Baltic Sea.
Sweden lost the war.
10. Vietnam War (18 years old)
The Second Indochina War between Vietnam and the United States and one of the most destructive of the second half of the 20th century. Lasted from 1957 to 1975. 3 periods: South Vietnamese guerrilla (1957-1964), from 1965 to 1973 - full-scale US military operations, 1973-1975. - after the withdrawal of American troops from Viet Cong territories. Opponents: South and North Vietnam. On the side of the South are the United States and the military bloc SEATO (Treaty Organization South-East Asia). Northern - China and the USSR.
The reason: when the communists came to power in China and Ho Chi Minh became the leader of South Vietnam, the White House administration was afraid of the communist “domino effect.” After Kennedy's assassination, Congress gave President Lyndon Johnson carte blanche to use the Tonkin Resolution military force. And already in March 1965, two battalions left for Vietnam fur seals US Army. So the United States became part of the Vietnamese Civil War. They used a “search and destroy” strategy, burned out the jungle with napalm - the Vietnamese went underground and responded with guerrilla warfare.
Who benefits: American arms corporations. US losses: 58 thousand in combat (64% under 21 years of age) and about 150 thousand suicides of American military veterans.
Vietnamese casualties: over 1 million combatants and more than 2 civilians, in South Vietnam alone - 83 thousand amputees, 30 thousand blind, 10 thousand deaf, after Operation Ranch Hand (chemical destruction of the jungle) - congenital genetic mutations.
Results: The Tribunal of May 10, 1967 qualified US actions in Vietnam as a crime against humanity (Article 6 of the Nuremberg Statute) and prohibited the use of CBU thermite bombs as weapons of mass destruction.
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