As Israel-Iran War Threat Looms, A Look Back At History's Deadliest Conflicts

As world leaders tried to stop tensions in the Middle East from boiling over into a regional war, here's a look back at history's deadliest conflict.

World War II

World War II - the 1939 to 1945 - involving the Allies and the Axis powers, caused over 70 million deaths. It included the genocide of the Jewish people and led to more than 50 million civilian deaths

nam.ac.uk

The Second Sino-Japanese War

Between 1937 and 1945, the Second Sino-Japanese War between China and Japan resulted in 25 million civilian deaths and over four million military deaths.

guides.loc.gov

The Qing Dynasty Conquest of the Ming Dynasty

The transition war from the Ming to the Qing Dynasty lasted from 1618 to 1683, causing 25 million deaths. It started as a small rebellion but grew into one of China's deadliest conflicts.

uzone.univs.cn

Taiping Rebellion

From 1850 to 1864, the Taiping Rebellion in China saw the Qing Dynasty battle the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It resulted in 20-30 million deaths

battle-of-qurman.com

World War I

Fought from 1914 to 1918 between the Allies and the Central Powers, World War I caused around 18 million deaths, including 11 million military personnel and seven million civilians

nam.ac.uk

An Lushan Rebellion

The An Lushan Rebellion against the Tang Dynasty of China from 755 to 763 AD led to about 36 million deaths, significantly reducing the empire's population

digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw

The Dungan Revolt

This 19th-century war in China was between the Hans and the Huis during the Qing Dynasty. It caused about 20 million deaths, mainly due to famine and migration.

zerrspiegel.orientphil.uni-halle.de

The Russian Civil War

The Russian Civil War, from 1917 to 1922, occurred after the Russian Revolutions. It involved the Red Army and the White Army, resulting in over nine 9 million deaths, mostly civilians

armyheritage.org

The Chinese Civil War

From 1927 to 1950, the Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang government and the Communist Party of China. It led to over 8 million deaths.

history.state.gov

Napoleonic Wars

In the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) the French Empire and its allies were pitted against a coalition of European powers. The Napoleonic Wars refers to a series of conflicts between the French Empire and the coalitions that fought it: the War of the Third Coalition, the Fourth, the Fifth, the Sixth and the Seventh and final coalition. It is estimated that around 3.5-6 million people were killed as a direct or indirect result of the war