Comparing the U.S., Soviet Union & China During WW2

From the previous activity, you used both qualitative and quantitative forms of information to learn about the impact of World War II on the military and civilian populations of the United States and the Soviet Union.

In this activity, you will examine the impact of World War II on China’s civilian and military population. The situation in China was different from other Allied Nations. China had been at war with Japan since 1937 in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Historians generally consider 1939 as the starting point of World War II, with the Second Sino-Japanese War becoming part of World War II as a result.

To help you complete the activity, download and use the following graphic organizeropen in a new window. Click on the Glossary link for the definitions of bolded terms in the text below.

Your research question is:

What was the impact of World War II on the military and civilian populations of the United States, the Soviet Union and China?

Be sure to include in your answer qualitative and quantitative information from the following sources:

History: History of WW2: ChinaOpens a new window

History: Sino-Japanese WarOpens a new window

History Learning Site: The Japan-China WarOpens a new window

The National WWII Museum: Deaths by CountryOpens a new window

Business Insider: Fraction of Country’s Population That Died in World War IIOpens a new window

Now it is time to pull your research together and answer your research question:

"What was the impact of World War II on the military and civilian populations of the United States, the Soviet Union and China?"

Show AnswerHide Answer

The United States suffered an attack on Pearl Harbor, where a total of 2,403 Americans were killed, including 68 civilians. The total number of U.S. casualties from WWII was approximately 300,000 killed and 776,000 wounded or missing in action. On the home front, civilians faced shortages and conserved resources for the war effort, but no battles ever took place in the United States. On the other hand, the Soviet Union was invaded by Germany, resulting in the destruction of cities and villages, as well as a death toll of nearly 24 million people, approximately 11,000,000 military personnel and 14,000,000 civilians. China also faced destruction of its cities and infrastructure, with a death toll of 20 million people. Comparing the percentages of Allied military deaths, the Soviet Union made up 65% of the total, while China made up 23% and the United States 2%.