Top 10 Countries Which Were Most Affected by World War II

This list is about the countries most affected during World War II. It also includes the impact they experienced after the war.

The Top Ten

Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean. It lies off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland (east of China, Korea, and Russia) and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and near Taiwan in the southwest.... read more

Kokura is the luckiest city in Japan. It was the intended target for the second American atomic bomb. As luck would have it, the industrial hub was socked in with thick cloud cover, so poor Nagasaki paid the price.

Harry S. Truman did the right thing to avenge the victims of Pearl Harbor and the other Asian countries. Let's not forget to mention the comfort women who were the most victimized people within the War in the Pacific. The two atomic bombs were justified because Japan's military power needed to end.
Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west. The Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south. Ukraine and Belarus to the east. And the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave), and Lithuania to the north. With a population of approximately... read more

Their army wasn't big because most of them were dead, and they had to get their country back. In Poland, there's a statue with running people representing that Poland was very confident about reclaiming their land. Sadly, after WWII, every country agreed that the countries that destroyed buildings in other countries had to pay for the reconstruction. Germany didn't pay Poland, even though it was the most destroyed country in the world.

Poland was the first victim of German and Soviet aggression. 2.9 million ethnic Poles and 2.9 million Jews were killed. Major cities like Warsaw were destroyed. Many villages were burned down, and after the war, Poland became a puppet state of the USSR, losing huge lands in the east although gaining many in the west.
Germany

Germany was formally united in 1871 under the initiative of Bismarck, with King Wilhelm of Prussia as emperor. The previous Holy Roman Empire, essentially a continuation of the empire of Charlemagne (Karl der Große), was dissolved in 1806.... read more

They could never replace millions of dead young men. They will continue to accept as many immigrants, especially males, as possible to replace their population. Those who think the German economy is strong right now do not understand the economic power Germany wielded under the 2nd and 3rd Reich.
Failures to replace the population and an economy that will always be dependent on exports, wielding almost no military power, and at the mercy of the major powers, Germany is a shell of the empire it once was.
Their armies defeated, the nation divided and conquered, left in rubble, and people quite frankly internationally humiliated at the subject of its eternal enemies. What was once the most powerful nation in Europe was now Allied-occupied for as long as they saw fit.
Look at how heavily they were bombed, how many of their best men were killed in the Soviet Union and other places where they suffered horrible defeats.
Their largest army groups had all been consumed in the grinder that was Russia, combined with the many they were losing in North Africa, Italy, and later France to the Western Allies. Once all these various nations' armies started to push into Germany, they were not in a great mood and didn't treat the citizens well, to put it lightly.
Japan was nuked, which was worse, actually. Germany was absolutely consumed by multiple armies and bombed into the stone age. The number of nations that were at war with Germany and sending troops, materials, and resources to aid in the fight against them is insane.
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly shortened to the United Kingdom, UK, or Britain, is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of Europe. It is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy currently led by Monarch King Charles III, and its current Prime Minister... read more

Although they didn't face mass extermination like the Slavic nations, they did face their fair share of pain. For instance, Hitler's constant bombings and attacks led to economic disparity, causing the United Kingdom to head down a spiral, losing its "superpower" title in the process and never hoping to become a world power again.

Absolutely valiant. The British people, as well as their military, heroically acquitted themselves in every way. Peace, BG (for now, at least).

"The Blitz." A lot of people, including innocent civilians, had to die for nothing.
France

France, officially the French Republic, is a sovereign state comprising territory in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European part of France, called metropolitan France, extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to... read more

During WWII, France was the second most bombed country by the Allies after Germany. It took seven times the tonnage of Allied bombs that the UK took from Nazi Germany. Roughly 75,000 tonnes of bombs were dropped on the UK (including Hitler's V missiles). In France, it was around 518,000 tonnes. It's also a sad statistic that more French civilians were killed by Allied bombing (76,000) than British civilians killed by German bombing (50,000).

Yes, they didn't get "nuked" twice, but the massive amount of bombings and use of firearms easily tore apart their cities.
Soviet Union

Most deaths out of any nation. Belarus lost 25% of its population, and all of its cities were ruined. Violent massacres by Germans, along with terror bombings of its cities like Minsk, led to huge destruction and millions of deaths. The huge persecution of Jews also killed many.
Ukraine lost almost 20% of its population. The country was completely destroyed, and all of this was just 6 years after the Holodomor genocide in Ukraine, which led to millions of deaths. Russia lost the most men and had many major cities destroyed. Other republics sacrificed many men on the front for the ultimate victory.

The Soviet Union was affected probably the most in the entire war, and in the worst way possible: mass death. In fact, 20% of its population perished. But this didn't have to happen. Stalin had a lack of care for his soldiers' lives, and thus he didn't do anything about it other than throwing more in. But ultimately, Germans were the ones that invaded, and thus it makes sense that the Soviets were so keen on revenge.
Philippines

The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It is situated in the western Pacific Ocean and consists of around 7,641 islands, broadly categorized into three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.... read more

The Battle of Manila is one of the grizzliest atrocities of World War II, as awful as the Rape of Nanking. It was oddly fought between the U.S. Army and the Japanese Navy. The IJN was issued orders to murder as many Filipino citizens as possible but not to waste ammunition in doing so. They wanted to save that for the U.S. Army.

Though it probably wouldn't be first, many bloody battles were fought in the Philippines, notably the Battle of Manila. Though not as many people were killed, most of the city was entirely leveled, along with years of culture and many people's homes.
Italy

Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana) is a sovereign state and unitary parliamentary republic in south-central Europe.
Italy covers an area of 301,338 km². With almost 62 million inhabitants, it's the third most populous EU member state. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares... read more

They were also affected, but they pulled back quickly from WWII. I once read that most of the Nazi soldiers supported them.
China

China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's second-most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion people. China spans five geographical time zones and shares land borders with 14 countries, second only to Russia in the number of neighboring... read more

The Nanking Massacre resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. Major cities like Shanghai were completely destroyed. Millions of Chinese were killed by Japanese forces. Also, a whole river flooded a huge amount of terrain and killed thousands. Additionally, Japanese experiments on people, famines, and diseases hit China very hard during the war.

World War II was absolutely a tragedy for China! We all remember that bloody history and will never forget it!

The poor Chinese people went from mild destruction at the hands of Japan to the total, total catastrophe of the CCP.
Netherlands

The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country located in northwestern Europe with overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Netherlands consists of twelve provinces and three overseas special municipalities... read more

Millions of people died, and the country suffered greatly post-war.
RIP the spice trade.
80% of our Jews died. Many were killed because of lack of food.

Rotterdam was completely destroyed during the bombing in 1940. Most of the Jewish population was killed. Thousands died during the famine in 1944.

Millions of people died, and the country suffered greatly post-war.

The Newcomers

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Palestine

Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a de jure sovereign state in Western Asia. It was proclaimed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and claims the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Its claimed territories have been under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War... read more
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South Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost sovereign state in Africa. It has 2,798 kilometers of coastline stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. It borders Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe to the north and Mozambique and Eswatini to the east, and it surrounds... read more

The Contenders

Belgium

Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest. It covers an area of 30,689 km² (11,849 sq mi) and has... read more
Finland

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland across from Estonia to the south. Finland covers an area... read more

Finland was the only Axis ally that could not be considered completely in the German camp.
They sided with the Nazis only because of the Winter War and lost territory due to both the war and their nominal alliance with the Axis.

How the heck is Finland so low on this list? It was invaded by the U.S.S.R., starting the Winter War.
Norway

Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a sovereign and unitary monarchy in Northern Europe. Its territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, along with the island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard. Oslo is the capital, and Norwegian is the official language... read more
Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia was a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1992. It was made up of several ethnic groups and experienced ongoing political and social conflicts. These tensions eventually led to its breakup into multiple independent countries.... read more

Yugoslavia was set to go pro-Axis until a coup occurred against Prince Paul in April 1941.
The following years saw the nation fight Nazis and partisans with ties to the Soviet Union. Out of this came Tito, the only one to defy both the Nazis and Stalin.

There was violent genocide perpetrated by Croats against Serbs, Jews, and other victims. Thousands were killed by Germans, Italians, and collaborators. Many villages in the countryside were destroyed.
United States of America

The United States of America, or the U.S.A. for short, is a federal republic composed of 50 states. Forty-eight of them are contiguous states. The other two, Alaska and Hawaii, are located to the northwest and south of the contiguous states, respectively. The United States declared its independence from... read more

You mean except for all those white crosses and body bags? As to any real economic benefit, America didn't finish paying off its war debt (its "borrowing" from the Fed and paying off on war bonds) until the early 1980s. By the way, thanks to FDR's socialist policies, the Depression in America lasted 8 years longer than in the rest of the industrialized world.

In my opinion, the United States was the only nation in which the war had a positive effect. Due to increased productivity, boosted morale, and general success, it experienced a demographic and economic golden age, becoming the most powerful country on Earth.
Czech Republic

The Czech Republic, also called Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The Czech Republic has a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,871... read more

The Czech Republic, then known as Czechoslovakia, was one of the first nations taken over by the Axis powers and was held under its domination for a long time.

Czechia, like many other Slavic countries, was VERY affected by the world wars. Many horrible things happened, including many labor camps. It was a horrible time.
Hungary

Hungary is a sovereign, landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and Slovenia to the southwest, Austria to the west, and Ukraine to the northeast.... read more
India

India, officially known as the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area and the most populous country in the world, with over 1.4 billion people. It's also the world's most populous democracy.... read more

Although many in India wished to support Japan against Britain to secure their independence, the nation as a whole rallied with the Commonwealth.
India was granted independence shortly afterward, probably as gratitude for their support.

Technically, India got something after WWII.
Austria

Austria was originally inhabited by Celtic tribes, particularly the Hallstatt culture. It later became the Roman province of Noricum. Alaric, who would later sack Rome, is believed to have studied at a monastery near modern-day Vienna.... read more

They were affected by mass murder and Hitler.
Russia

Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world by area, covering 17,098,246 square kilometres (6,601,667 sq mi) and encompassing about one-eighth of Earth's inhabited land area.... read more
Greece

Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Greece shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey... read more
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With a land area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 sq mi), Australia is the largest country by area in Oceania... read more

Australia's contribution to WWII was very significant! A country with a small population provided so many to fight in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific campaign. If it wasn't for the large assistance from the USA, Australia would have been very vulnerable to invasion from Japan. It also has to be remembered that the Australian army inflicted the Japanese first land defeat during their push across Asia.

How are other countries like Colombia and Sri Lanka ranked before Australia? They sent hundreds of thousands of troops to perish on the African and European fronts. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Denmark

Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the most populous and politically central constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean. European Denmark is the southernmost... read more
Canada

Canada is a country in North America that borders the United States, and it is the second-largest country in the world by area (9.985 million km²). The country has 10 provinces and 3 territories. Canada became a dominion on July 1, 1867.... read more
Malta

Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital city is Valletta, and it is one of the world's smallest and most densely populated countries. Malta has a rich history influenced by various civilizations... read more