Buckle up and prepare for a historical journey through one of the most significant events of the 20th century – World War II! From epic battles to astonishing feats of courage, this global conflict shaped the world in countless ways. As we delve into 50 riveting facts about World War II, you’ll uncover lesser-known stories, astonishing statistics, and remarkable anecdotes that shed light on the triumphs and tragedies of this pivotal moment in human history. So, grab your helmet, polish your boots, and let’s march into the past to uncover the intriguing secrets of World War II!
1-10 Shocking Facts About World-War 2
1. The belief that carrots improve eyesight was a British propaganda during WW2 to cover up their technology from the Nazis.
2. It is estimated that only 1 in 9 kamikaze pilots were successful in hitting their intended targets during World War II, indicating that most kamikaze attacks were not effective.
3. Japan and Russia have not signed a peace treaty to formally end World War II due to the ongoing dispute over the Kuril Islands.
4. During World War II, around 2 million German women aged 13-70 were raped by the Red Army.
5. Queen Elizabeth II, the current reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, served as a mechanic and driver in World War II as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS).
6. U.S. soldier John R. McKinney is known for single-handedly holding off over 100 Japanese soldiers during World War II.
7. The number of Chinese killed by the Japanese during World War II is estimated to be greater than the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust.
8. The Mosque of Paris in France is known to have helped Jews escape the Nazis by providing them with Muslim identification papers during World War II.
9. It is estimated that at least 1.1 million Jewish children were murdered during the Holocaust.
10. Approximately one-third of the Jewish population alive at that time, including men, women, and children, were murdered during the Holocaust.
11-20 Interesting Facts About World-War 2
11. When the D-Day forces landed, Hitler was asleep. No one dared to send reinforcements without his permission, and no one dared to wake him. Because of it, crucial hours were lost in the battle to keep Normandy.
12. During World War II, President Dwight D. Eisenhower reportedly predicted that there would be attempts to deny the Holocaust, and therefore ordered photographs of Nazi crimes to be taken as evidence to counter such denial.
13. During World War II, an estimated 80% of all Soviet males born in 1923 died, highlighting the devastating impact of the war on the Soviet Union.
Read More: 25 Insane Facts About Soviet Union That Will Blow Your Mind
14. Winston Churchill, who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, lost the 1945 election shortly after the end of the war, despite his leadership during the conflict.
15. During World War II, the Shiba Inu dog breed in Japan faced near extinction due to food shortages and post-war factors. Today, all Shiba Inu dogs are believed to be descended from the only three surviving bloodlines.
16. During World War II, Japan reportedly accepted Jewish refugees and rejected protests from Nazi Germany.
17. When Hitler visited Paris during World War II, the French reportedly cut the lift cables on the Eiffel Tower to prevent him from reaching the top easily, forcing him to climb the steps.
18. Fanta, a popular soft drink, originated in Germany during World War II as a result of difficulties in importing Coca-Cola syrup into Nazi Germany.
19. Due to a metal shortage during World War II, the Oscars’ statuettes were made of painted plaster instead of metal.
20. Hitler reportedly planned to collect thousands of Jewish artifacts to build a “Museum of an Extinct Race” after the war.
21-30 Surprising Facts About World-War 2
21. When Hitler informed the Czech president of the imminent invasion of his country, the Czech president reportedly suffered a heart attack and had to be kept awake to sign his surrender.
22. Hitler’s plan for Moscow during World War II was reportedly to kill all its residents and cover the city with an artificial lake.
23. Ironically, Hitler was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1939.
Read More: 20 Fascinating Adolf Hitler Facts That You Should Know
24. Hitler’s spies in Britain during WW2 were all double agents under British control.
25. After John F. Kennedy’s PT boat was sunk in WW2, he wrote a message on a coconut for help, which worked, and the coconut became a Presidential paperweight.
26. A bear fought in the Polish Army during WW2, carrying shells to the frontline, and was even taught to salute.
27. The death toll in Auschwitz during WW2 exceeded the combined losses of Britain and America in the war.
28. Nutella was invented during WW2 by an Italian pastry maker who mixed hazelnuts into chocolate to extend his cocoa supply.
29. Big Ben’s lights were dimmed during WW2 to prevent German bombers from using it as a reference point.
30. London didn’t reach its pre-WW2 population level until January 2015.
31-40 Insane Facts About World-War 2
31. India raised the largest-volunteer Army in world history during WW2, with over 2.5 million men, and at least 38 Indians received the Victoria Cross or the George Cross.
32. The Japanese slaughtered millions of Filipinos, Malays, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Indonesians, and Burmese during WW2, with estimates ranging up to 30 million.
33. A cat nicknamed “Unsinkable Sam” survived the sinking of three different ships during WW2.
34. Over 800,000 women served in the Soviet armed forces during WW2.
35. The news of Germany’s unconditional surrender at the end of WW2 was kept secret from the public for 11 hours by U.S. censors.
36. Queen Elizabeth taught herself to shoot on the grounds of Buckingham Palace during WW2 in case of a German parachutist attack.
37. At the start of WW2, the U.S. army was smaller than Portugal’s.
38. During WW2, the U.S. Navy partnered with the Mafia to protect the country’s ports.
39. The Allies considered dropping glue to stick Nazi troops to the ground.
40. Tommy Tucker, a squirrel, became a celebrity in the U.S. during WW2, touring the country wearing women’s fashions, performing tricks, and selling war bonds.
41-50 Disturbing Facts About World-War 2
41. More Germans were killed by the Russians in the Battle of Stalingrad alone than were killed by Americans throughout the entire WW2.
42. Poland suffered the highest percentage of population loss in WW2, with 20% of its population dying.
43. The Nazis guillotined more than twice as many people as during the French Revolution.
44. In WW2, the U.S. and New Zealand conducted secret tests of 3,700 “tsunami bombs” designed to destroy coastal cities.
45. Deliveries by pigeon post during WW2 were 95% successful.
46. The Dutch army had only one tank during WW2.
47. Hundreds of Jews from Amsterdam were fined for being late with their rent while they were incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II.
48. The American secret service attempted to spike Hitler’s food with female hormones during WW2 in an effort to feminize him.
49. After the attack on Pearl Harbor during WW2, Canada declared war on Japan before the U.S. did.
50. The cost per person of the Gulf War was $306 for Americans, while Vietnam cost $2,204, the Korean War cost $2,266, and WW2 cost $20,388 per person.
Bonus Facts:
51. During the invasion of Poland in WW2, 720 Poles defended their position against 40,000 Germans, halting their advance for 3 days.
52. During WW2, two Polish doctors saved 8,000 Jews from the Holocaust by faking a typhus epidemic, preventing the Nazis from entering their town.
53. The Taj Mahal was covered with a scaffold during WW2 to make it appear as a stockpile of bamboo and misguide potential enemy bombers.
That’s it for this post guys, I hope you had fun while reading 50 Interesting World War 2 Facts
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