In Charts: WW2

75 years ago, the Second World War in Europe came to an end. It left a continent devastated and its consequences are still being felt today.

To commemorate VE Day, we present our chartroom on the conflict — its causes, its effects and its terrible human toll.

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How many people died?

Belarus has the highest percentage of the population that died — 25%

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How many people did the war displace?

40 million — the worst refugee crisis in history

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What was the bloodiest battle?

Stalingrad — it caused almost 2 million casualties

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What was the biggest amphibious invasion?

D-Day (Operation Overlord) is the biggest amphibious invasion in history

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What were the deadliest air raids?

The air raids on Hamburg killed 43,000 people

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How many unexploded bombs are still being dug up?

The UK still disposes of dozens of bombs every year — mostly German

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How many people died in the Holocaust?

14 million — including 6 million Jews

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How informed are people about the Holocaust?

Less than half of Americans know how many Jews died

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How much did the war cost?

It cost the U.S. almost $5 trillion — more than the current GDP of Germany ($3.9 trillion)

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How many tanks were produced during the war?

The U.S. and the Soviet Union produced over 200,000, Germany 46,000

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Which country do people think won the war?

Most Americans think it was the U.S., most British think it was Britain

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How many American WW2 veterans are there?

It is estimated that approximately 10,000 will remain alive by 2030

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