The American Civil War is the conflict with the largest number of American military fatalities in history. In fact, the Civil War's death toll is comparable to all other major wars combined, the deadliest of which were the World Wars, which have a combined death toll of more than 520,000 American fatalities. The ongoing series of conflicts and interventions in the Middle East and North Africa, collectively referred to as the War on Terror in the west, has a combined death toll of more than 7,000 for the U.S. military since 2001.
Other records
In terms of the number of deaths per day, the American Civil War is still at the top, with an average of 425 deaths per day, while the First and Second World Wars have averages of roughly 100 and 200 fatalities per day respectively. Technically, the costliest battle in U.S. military history was the Battle of Elsenborn Ridge, which was a part of the Battle of the Bulge in the Second World War, and saw upwards of 5,000 deaths over 10 days. However, the Battle of Gettysburg had more military fatalities of American soldiers, with almost 3,200 Union deaths and over 3,900 Confederate deaths, giving a combined total of more than 7,000. The Battle of Antietam is viewed as the bloodiest day in American military history, with over 3,600 combined fatalities and almost 23,000 total casualties on September 17, 1862.
Revised Civil War figures
For more than a century, the total death toll of the American Civil War was generally accepted to be around 620,000, a number which was first proposed by Union historians William F. Fox and Thomas L. Livermore in 1888. This number was calculated by using enlistment figures, battle reports, and census data, however many prominent historians since then have thought the number should be higher. In 2011, historian J. David Hacker conducted further investigations and claimed that the number was closer to 750,000 (and possibly as high as 850,000). While many Civil War historians agree that this is possible, and even likely, obtaining consistently accurate figures has proven to be impossible until now; both sides were poor at keeping detailed records throughout the war, and much of the Confederacy's records were lost by the war's end. Many Confederate widows also did not register their husbands death with the authorities, as they would have then been ineligible for benefits.
FAQs
1980 - 2022 (As of August 2023)
| Calendar Year | Active Duty* | Total Deaths |
|---|
| 2022 | 1,299,150 | 844 |
| 2021 | 1,323,648 | 1,009 |
| 2020 | 1,387,468 | 1,017 |
| 2019 | 1,369,816 | 893 |
7 more rowsOverview
| War or conflict | Date | Total U.S. deaths |
|---|
| Total |
|---|
| World War II | 1939–1945 | 405,399 |
| Greek Civil War | 1944–1949 | 6 |
| Chinese Civil War | 1945–1950 | 164 |
69 more rowsKorean War
The Korean War (1950-1953) can be considered as a major defeat for the United States, and a period when millions of lives were lost in the war (including many civilians).
What was the deadliest war in the US? ›
The Civil War was the deadliest war in American history. Altogether, over 600,000 died in the conflict, more than World War I and World War II combined. A soldier was 13 times more likely to die in the Civil War than in the Vietnam War.
How many marines died in 2024? ›
How many Marines have died in 2024? As of Friday, 14 Marines have died in combat in 2024, according to the Defense Casualty Analysis System. No Marine has died in non-combat or non-hostile action, the data shows.
What killed the most American soldiers? ›
The American Civil War is the conflict with the largest number of American military fatalities in history. In fact, the Civil War's death toll is comparable to all other major wars combined, the deadliest of which were the World Wars, which have a combined death toll of more than 520,000 American fatalities.
How much money do dead soldiers' families get? ›
The death gratuity program provides for a special tax free payment of $100,000 to eligible survivors of members of the Armed Forces, who die while on active duty or while serving in certain reserve statuses. The death gratuity is the same regardless of the cause of death.
How many US Marines died in WWII? ›
US Military Casualties in World War II
| Branch | Killed | Wounded |
|---|
| Navy | 62,614 | 37,778 |
| Marines | 24,511 | 68,207 |
| Coast Guard | 1,917 | Unknown |
| TOTAL | 407,316 | 671,278 |
1 more rowThe United States has been physically invaded on several occasions: once during the War of 1812; once during the Mexican–American War; several times during the Mexican Border War; and three times during World War II, two of which were air attacks on American soil.
Could the US win the Vietnam War? ›
To summarize the general consensus, the United States could have likely never won the war as it was fought. It was essentially defending South Vietnam from an invasion – while it fought an enemy that could retreat without fear of destruction.
There have only been a handful of large-scale Marine Corps surrenders, almost all during the US entrance into World War Two. The Fourth Marine Regiment laid down its arms when Army General Jonathan Wainwright ordered Corregidor's surrender in the Philippines in 1942.
What is the bloodiest battle in history? ›
The Most Deadly Battle In History: Stalingrad
The figures for the Battle of Stalingrad battle are shocking even by the standards of the other campaigns on this list. Running from August 23, 1942 to February 2, 1943, Stalingrad led to 633,000 battle deaths.
How many Americans died on D-Day? ›
A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself, including 2,501 Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians.
How many US soldiers died in duty? ›
From the onset of military operations in October 2001 to February 2024, the United States has incurred a total of 60,618 casualties. This includes 7,085 military fatalities and 53,533 wounded service members.
What was the largest loss of life in one day? ›
The deadliest day in human history was January 23, 1556, when the Shaanxi earthquake hit central China. This earthquake was the deadliest in history and caused the deaths of 830,000 people in China.
What is the leading cause of death in the military? ›
Unintentional injuries were the leading cause of death among both males (61%) and females (52%). Diseases accounted for about 20% of all death and represented the second most significant cause of death for both male and female service personnel.
