Facts about World War 2 § The first German serviceman killed in the Second World War was killed by the Japanese (China, 1937). § The first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians (Finland 1940). § 80% of Soviet males born in 1923 didn’t survive World War 2. § The highest ranking American killed was Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, killed by the US Army Air Corps. § Between 1939 and 1945 the Allies dropped 3.4 million tons of bombs, an average of about 27,700 tons of bombs each month. § 2 million German women aged 13-70 were allegedly raped by the Red Army on WWII. § Queen Elizabeth II served as a mechanic and driver in World War II. § Germany lost 40-45% of their aircraft during World War 2 to accidents § The swastika is an ancient religious symbol. § More Russians (military and civilians) lost their lives during the Siege of Leningrad than did American and British soldiers combined in all of WWII. § 12,000 heavy bombers were shot down in World War 2. § U.S. Soldier John R. McKinney held off over 100 Japanese soldiers single headedly in WWII. § It is estimated that 20,000 Koreans were killed in Hiroshima and 2,000 died in Nagasaki. § 2/3 of Allied bomber crews were lost for each plane destroyed. § 84 German Generals were executed by Hitler § When allied armies reached the Rhine, the first thing men did was pee in it. § On July 14, 1941, the Soviets introduced a new weapon, the Katyusha, which could fire 320 rockets in 25 seconds. § Either 3 or 4 ground men were wounded for each killed. § 6 bomber crewmen were killed for each one wounded. § Over 100,000 Allied bomber crewmen were killed over Europe. § There were 433 Medals of Honor awarded during World War 2, 219 of them were given after the receipiant’s death. § From 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945 in Europe the Allies had 200,000 dead and 550,000 wounded. § The youngest US serviceman was 12 year old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded in combat and given a Dishonorable Discharge for lieing about his age. (His benefits were later restored by act of Congress). § Most members of the Waffen SS were not German. § Prisoners of war in Russian camps experienced an 85% mortality rate. § Germany lost 136 Generals, which averages out to be 1 dead General every 2 weeks § Germany lost 110 Division Commanders in combat. § The number of Chinese killed by the Japanese during WWII is greater than the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust. § 40,000 men served on the U-Boats during World War 2; 30,000 of them didn’t survive. § 12,000 heavy bombers were shot down in World War 2 § More US servicemen died in the Air Corps that the Marine Corps. § 40,000 men served on U-Boats during World War 2; 30,000 never returned § While completing the required 30 missions, your chance of being killed was 71%. Not those bombers were helpless. A B-17 carried 4 tons of bombs and 1.5 tons of machine gun ammo. The US 8th Air Force shot down 6,098 fighter planes, 1 for every 12,700 shots fired. § Germany’s power grid was much more vulnerable than realized. One estimate is that if just 1% of the bombs dropped on German industry had instead been dropped on power plants, German industry would have collapsed. § There was no such thing as an average fighter pilot in the World War 2. Japanese ace Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80 planes. § When allied armies reached the Rhine, the first thing men did was pee in it. § German Me-264 bombers were capable of bombing New York City but it wasn’t worth the effort. § A number of air crewmen died of farts. (Ascending to 20,000 ft. in an un-pressurized aircraft causes intestinal gas to expand 300%!) § Germany lost 40-45% of their aircraft during World War 2 to accidents § The Russians destroyed over 500 German aircraft by ramming them in midair . § The average German officer slot had to be refilled 9.2 times. § German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet. § The US Army had more ships than the US Navy. § The German Air Force had 22 infantry divisions, 2 armor divisions, and 11 paratroop divisions. § None of them were capable of airborne operations. The German Army had paratroops who WERE capable of airborne operations. § When the US Army landed in North Africa, among the equipment brought ashore were 3 complete Coca Cola bottling plants. § 84 German Generals were executed by Hitler § Among the first “Germans” captured at Normandy were several Koreans. They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until they were captured by the Russians and forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and forced to fight for the German Army until they were capture by the US Army. § The Graf Spee never sank, The scuttling attempt failed and the ship was bought by the British. On board was Germany’s newest radar system. § That Nazi salute was modeled on the salute of Italian Fascists, the ancient Romans, as well as ancient Germans. § One of Japan’s methods of destroying tanks was to bury a very large artillery shell with on ly the nose exposed. When a tank came near the enough a soldier would whack the shell with a hammer. § Following a massive naval bombardment, 35,000 US and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska. 21 troops were killed in the fire-fight. It would have been worse if there had been Japanese on the island. § Most members of the Waffen SS were not German. § Air attacks caused 1/3 of German Generals’ deaths § By D-Day, the Germans had 1.5 million railway workers operating 988,000 freight cars and used 29,000 per day § The only nation that Germany declared war on was the USA. § During the Japanese attack on Hong Kong, British officers objected to Canadian infantrymen taking up positions in the officer’s mess. No enlisted men allowed! § By D-Day, 35% of all German soldiers had been wounded at least once, 11% twice, 6% three times, 2% four times and 2% more than 4 times § Nuclear physicist Niels Bohr was rescued in the nick of time from German occupied Denmark. While Danish resistance fighters provided covering fire he ran out the back door of his home stopping momentarily to grab a beer bottle full of precious “heavy water” § Germany lost 136 Generals, which averages out to be 1 dead General every 2 weeks.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:12:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015