The Fallen of the WW2 (Video + Data Visualization)

[Liu Kang]

An animated data-driven documentary about war and peace, The Fallen of World War II looks at the human cost of the second World War and sizes up the numbers to other wars in history, including trends in recent conflicts.

​

For the interactive version : http://www.fallen.io/ww2/

I think it's a pretty neat and objective way to visualize the casualties (both civilian and military) between countries and/or continents but also relatively to the most deadly conflicts/atrocities humanity experienced. There are things to be said about numbers (regarding the Russians deaths but also some countries that are not appearing) or the terminologies (how the narrator talk about the Germans as "Nazis" which is wrong because most soldiers weren't). But it would be impossible for that kinda work to be exhaustive imo so I won't nitpick about that personally.

Spoiler: don't click before watching, otherwise you may be spoiled

That Russian and Chinese blood man

 

[ill]

In regards to your spoiler, there was a thread on old Soviet countries where the people wanted to tare down WW2 statues because they were "Soviet remnants". There were certain American posters who were all about it. I thought that was pretty despicable considering the sacrifice Soviets made to defeat Hitler. I'm Russian-American and I grew up thinking it was only the US that won the war and sacrificed the most to do it. Thats the propaganda we're fed here. After really looking into it, the Ruskies were the true victors and sacrificed the most to defeat the Axis powers. They def don't get their due respect for all they did to win WW2.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

The US low-key skated

I think like MAYBE 2 people died in the lower 48 from a weather balloon or something

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

• November 1944–April 1945 — Fire balloons, over 9,300 of them were launched by Japan across the Pacific Ocean towards the U.S. mainland with the goal of starting forest fires. On May 5, 1945, six U.S. civilians were killed in Oregon when a young woman and five kids during a picnic stumbled upon a balloon drag containing a bomb and it exploded, the only wartime deaths to occur on the U.S. mainland as a result of enemy action.

 

[ill]

• November 1944–April 1945 — Fire balloons, over 9,300 of them were launched by Japan across the Pacific Ocean towards the U.S. mainland with the goal of starting forest fires. On May 5, 1945, six U.S. civilians were killed in Oregon when a young woman and five kids during a picnic stumbled upon a balloon drag containing a bomb and it exploded, the only wartime deaths to occur on the U.S. mainland as a result of enemy action.

Never even heard of that. I thought the only attack on US soil was Pearl Harbor

 

[Spatial Paradox]

Never even heard of that. I thought the only attack on US soil was Pearl Harbor

There was also the Japanese occupations in the Aleutian Islands. We don't hear about them much because it got overshadowed by other battles in the Pacific Theater

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

There was also the Japanese occupations in the Aleutian Islands. We don't hear about them much because it got overshadowed by other battles in the Pacific Theater

Alaska was a territory at the time so that TECHNICALLY didn't count.

Never even heard of that. I thought the only attack on US soil was Pearl Harbor

Hawaii wasn't a state

 

[Spatial Paradox]

Alaska was a territory at the time so that TECHNICALLY didn't count.


Hawaii wasn't a state

Thanks for the (unnecessary) reminder that Alaska wasn't a U.S state at the time. Didn't realize only states counted as "U.S. soil". Or are you saying if some foreign power landed in Puerto Rico tomorrow, we wouldn't regard that as an invasion of American soil?

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Thanks for the (unnecessary) reminder that Alaska wasn't a U.S state at the time. Didn't realize only states counted as "U.S. soil". Or are you saying if some foreign power landed in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands tomorrow, we wouldn't regard that as an invasion of American soil?

There are reasons why the fire balloons are counted as official US attacks dumbass.

 

[Liu Kang]

In regards to your spoiler, there was a thread on old Soviet countries where the people wanted to tare down WW2 statues because they were "Soviet remnants". There were certain American posters who were all about it. I thought that was pretty despicable considering the sacrifice Soviets made to defeat Hitler. I'm Russian-American and I grew up thinking it was only the US that won the war and sacrificed the most to do it. Thats the propaganda we're fed here. After really looking into it, the Ruskies were the true victors and sacrificed the most to defeat the Axis powers. They def don't get their due respect for all they did to win WW2.

Well I believe it's because the West is focused on the Western front when it comes to WW2.

I'm French our History lessons/books teach us about Leningrad, about the Stalingrad Battle, about Warsaw etc. But the most important chapters are about the Western front which I find logical considering France... was the Western front. I was surprised at the number of Russians and Chinese casualties because I didn't remember about Japanese war crimes and the Eastern front as much as I remember events on the Western front. And objectively the way it was shown in the video was chilling. At some moment, I thought it was slowing down but it was simply a zoom out and the body count kept going...

Personally, I don't think neither the Russians or the Americans are the main responsible for the victory. I think the Allies were. WW2 had 3 fronts when it comes to Europe (counting the North-African one). Russia prevailed on the Eastern Front and the US is definitely the main reason we prevailed on the West. Honestly, I don't remember any claim that our History lessons talked about Americans as the sole reason of the victory over the Nazis. It was always the "Allies" more than anything else. And that included Russia as displayed in that famous Malta conference pic.

Russia did sacrifice the most but I don't think the sole number of casualties is an argument for telling who or who is not the main victor in the conflict. I think all is connected because the Axis did spread between three fronts in Europe which weakened them ultimately. The US, France and the English benefited from the existence of the Eastern front and vice versa. Nazi Germany had trouble with the Eastern front because it was too large of territory. What if they didn't send forces to the West and focused 100% of them towards the East ? Would it have been the same outcome ? I don't think so though I don't think they could have prevailed easily either.

But History and Geography are self-centered subjects. I'm pretty sure that in Russia, the Eastern front is more taught/known than the Western and the North-African ones which wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[Spatial Paradox]

There are reasons why the fire balloons are counted as official US attacks dumbass.

And that means the Japanese attacks on Hawaii and the Aleutians don't count as attacks on the U.S. why...?

You know what? I'm not even going to dwell on that red herring of a post. Let's look at the actual legal status of Alaska and Hawaii during World War II. The Territory of Alaska existed from 1912 to 1959. The Territory of Hawaii existed from 1898 to 1959. Both were "organized incorporated territories" of the United States.

Here's a definition of an incorporated territory from Merriam-Webster:
a portion of the domain of the U.S. that does not constitute and is not a part of any state but that is considered a part of the U.S. proper and is entitled to all the benefits of the Constitution that are not specifically reserved to the states <Arizona, Oklahoma, and New Mexico were all incorporated territories before attaining statehood>

So how were they not "U.S. soil"?

Or are you basing this on that little snippet you posted earlier? Those fire balloon deaths were noted as the only civilian deaths to occur on the mainland U.S.. Last I checked, neither Hawaii or Alaska count as the mainland US, even today. The Wikipedia article you got that snippet from notes all the other attacks on the US, including Pearl Harbor and the Aleutian Islands

If you're going to be a pedant, at least know what the hell you're talking about. Dumbass

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

And that means the Japanese attacks on Hawaii and the Aleutians don't count as attacks on the U.S. why...?

You know what? I'm not even going to dwell on that red herring of a post. Let's look at the actual legal status of Alaska and Hawaii during World War II. The Territory of Alaska existed from 1912 to 1959. The Territory of Hawaii existed from 1898 to 1959. Both were "organized incorporated territories" of the United States.

Here's a definition of an incorporated territory from Merriam-Webster:
a portion of the domain of the U.S. that does not constitute and is not a part of any state but that is considered a part of the U.S. proper and is entitled to all the benefits of the Constitution that are not specifically reserved to the states <Arizona, Oklahoma, and New Mexico were all incorporated territories before attaining statehood>

So how were they not "U.S. soil"?

Or are you basing this on that little snippet you posted earlier? Those fire balloon deaths were noted as the only civilian deaths to occur on the mainland U.S.. Last I checked, neither Hawaii or Alaska count as the mainland US, even today. The Wikipedia article you got that snippet from notes all the other attacks on the US, including Pearl Harbor and the Aleutian Islands

If you're going to be a pedant, at least know what the hell you're talking about. Dumbass

Don't take this up with me.

Take this up with those who take note of official events.

All i'm saying is that the fire balloons were the only US mainland deaths...and neither Hawaii or Alaska were states at the time.

Pearl Harbor is radically different considering the single event of loss of life.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Well I believe it's because the West is focused on the Western front when it comes to WW2.

I'm French our History lessons/books teach us about Leningrad, about the Stalingrad Battle, about Warsaw etc. But the most important chapters are about the Western front which I find logical considering France... was the Western front. I was surprised at the number of Russians and Chinese casualties because I didn't remember about Japanese war crimes and the Eastern front as much as I remember events on the Western front. And objectively the way it was shown in the video was chilling. At some moment, I thought it was slowing down but it was simply a zoom out and the body count kept going...

Personally, I don't think neither the Russians or the Americans are the main responsible for the victory. I think the Allies were. WW2 had 3 fronts when it comes to Europe (counting the North-African one). Russia prevailed on the Eastern Front and the US is definitely the main reason we prevailed on the West. Honestly, I don't remember any claim that our History lessons talked about Americans as the sole reason of the victory over the Nazis. It was always the "Allies" more than anything else. And that included Russia as displayed in that famous Malta conference pic.

Russia did sacrifice the most but I don't think the sole number of casualties is an argument for telling who or who is not the main victor in the conflict. I think all is connected because the Axis did spread between three fronts in Europe which weakened them ultimately. The US, France and the English benefited from the existence of the Eastern front and vice versa. Nazi Germany had trouble with the Eastern front because it was too large of territory. What if they didn't send forces to the West and focused 100% of them towards the East ? Would it have been the same outcome ? I don't think so though I don't think they could have prevailed easily either.

But History and Geography are self-centered subjects. I'm pretty sure that in Russia, the Eastern front is more taught/known than the Western and the North-African ones which wouldn't surprise me at all.

I don't recall Russia having the sheer technical will to create inventions and related developments that US/UK created at the time either

 

[Just like bruddas]

at the soviets

fukked up part is you had soviets killing soviets for desertion, friendly fire.

Wonder if they thought about including the genocide in the ukraine

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Poland

USSR