Deadliest Wars in History
War↕ | Dates↕ | Parties↕ | Estimated Deaths↕ | Duration↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
World War II | 1939-1945 | Allies vs Axis Powers | 70-85 million | 6 years | Deadliest conflict in history; Holocaust; atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki |
Mongol Conquests | 1206-1368 | Mongol Empire vs various | 40-60 million | 162 years | Largest contiguous land empire; devastating sieges across Asia and Europe |
World War I | 1914-1918 | Allies vs Central Powers | 15-22 million | 4 years | Trench warfare; first use of chemical weapons and tanks |
Taiping Rebellion | 1850-1864 | Taiping Heavenly Kingdom vs Qing Dynasty | 20-30 million | 14 years | Bloodiest civil war in history; quasi-Christian theocratic movement in China |
Second Sino-Japanese War | 1937-1945 | China vs Japan | 15-22 million | 8 years | Nanjing Massacre; part of wider Pacific theater of WWII |
An Lushan Rebellion | 755-763 | An Lushan vs Tang Dynasty | 13-36 million | 8 years | Near-collapse of Tang Dynasty; massive depopulation of northern China |
Napoleonic Wars | 1803-1815 | French Empire vs European coalitions | 3.5-6.5 million | 12 years | Napoleon's conquests; Battle of Waterloo; reshaping of European borders |
Thirty Years' War | 1618-1648 | Catholic vs Protestant states | 4.5-8 million | 30 years | Devastated Central Europe; led to Peace of Westphalia and modern state system |
Chinese Civil War | 1927-1949 | Communists vs Nationalists | 8-11 million | 22 years | Mao Zedong's rise; founding of People's Republic of China |
Russian Civil War | 1917-1922 | Red Army vs White Army | 7-12 million | 5 years | Bolshevik consolidation of power; famine and disease |
Dungan Revolt | 1862-1877 | Hui Muslims vs Qing Dynasty | 8-12 million | 15 years | Ethnic and religious conflict in northwest China |
Korean War | 1950-1953 | North Korea & China vs South Korea & UN | 2.5-3.5 million | 3 years | Cold War proxy conflict; Korean Peninsula divided at 38th parallel |
Vietnam War | 1955-1975 | North Vietnam vs South Vietnam & USA | 1.3-3.4 million | 20 years | Guerrilla warfare; Agent Orange; massive anti-war movement |
Seven Years' War | 1756-1763 | Britain & Prussia vs France & Austria | 900,000-1.4 million | 7 years | First truly global conflict; reshaped colonial empires |
Iran-Iraq War | 1980-1988 | Iran vs Iraq | 500,000-1.5 million | 8 years | Trench warfare parallels to WWI; chemical weapons use |
Hundred Years' War | 1337-1453 | England vs France | 2.3-3.3 million | 116 years | Joan of Arc; longbow dominance; end of medieval warfare |
American Civil War | 1861-1865 | Union vs Confederacy | 620,000-750,000 | 4 years | Abolition of slavery; deadliest war on American soil |
Congo Wars | 1996-2003 | Multiple African nations and militias | 3-5.4 million | 7 years | Africa's 'World War'; humanitarian catastrophe in DRC |
Crusades | 1095-1291 | Christian kingdoms vs Muslim states | 1-3 million | 196 years | Religious wars for control of Holy Land; shaped Christian-Muslim relations |
Mexican Revolution | 1910-1920 | Various revolutionary factions | 1-2 million | 10 years | Pancho Villa and Zapata; land reform; modern Mexican constitution |
Free to explore · No signup needed
Frequently asked questions
How is the Deadliest Wars In History list ranked?
The Deadliest Wars in History list is currently sorted by the source data's default ordering. Community voting is not enabled on this dataset.
How many entries are in this Deadliest Wars In History dataset?
This dataset contains 20 entries, each with multiple sortable, filterable columns. The full table is visible on this page and can be downloaded as a CSV, JSON, or Excel file.
Can I download the Deadliest Wars In History data?
Yes. The download buttons at the top of the page give you the full 20-row dataset as CSV, JSON, or Excel. Use of the data is permitted under a Creative Commons Attribution license — credit dtbse.com when you republish.
Related Datasets
More in History
Deadliest Battles in History
Military battles ranked by estimated casualties.
Famous Battles
Twenty of the most consequential military engagements in world history, from ancient Marathon to the beaches of Normandy.
Greatest Military Leaders
Twenty of the most celebrated military commanders in recorded history, spanning from ancient China to the 20th century.
Longest Wars in History
Wars with the longest duration in recorded history.
Famous Revenge Stories in History
The Count of Monte Cristo, 47 Ronin, Boudicca's uprising — which revenge saga is most legendary?
Nuclear Weapons Tests
Nuclear weapons tests conducted by various nations.
Famous Pandemic Responses Throughout History
Venetian quarantine, London plague pits, 1918 flu masks, smallpox vaccination — which pandemic response changed public health forever?
Famous Labor Strikes That Changed History
The Pullman Strike, the UK Miners' Strike, the Flint Sit-Down Strike — which labor action had the most lasting impact on workers' rights?
Famous Imposters & Identity Fraudsters
Frank Abagnale, Anna Delvey, the Tichborne Claimant — which imposter pulled off the most audacious deception?
Famous Haunted Ships & Ghost Vessels
Mary Celeste, Flying Dutchman, SS Ourang Medan — which ghost ship has the most terrifying mystery?
Famous Historical Famines
The Irish Potato Famine, Bengal 1943, the Holodomor — which famine most shaped the course of history?
Famous Shipyards & Naval Dockyards
Harland & Wolff, Newport News, Gdansk, Hyundai Heavy Industries — which legendary shipyard built the vessels that shaped history?