Why a World War 11 Round Table?
Ninety five million people were killed between 1937 and 1945 in the war and 95% of the casualties were civilians. It was fought on all seas and land masses around the world.
The war lasted 2,174 days and claimed an average of 27,600 lives every day or 1,150 an hour.
A total of 16 million Americans served in uniform and untold numbers, both male and female, worked in defense plants and other war efforts.
When Germany invaded Poland, the U. S. Army ranked seventeenth among armies in size and power.
In 1941, United States built 3.5 million cars; for the rest of the war only 139. In 1943 alone, 86,000 planes, 45,000 tanks and 648,000 trucks were built.
The combat losses were heavy on all sides. For example:
A typical division contained 15,000 soldiers, a B-17 and B-24 ten or eleven crewmen.
In Europe, 18 divisions had more than 100% casualties; 5
divisions had more than 200% casualties.
USAF lost 11,687 aircraft in Northern Europe flying 1,440,000 bomber missions and 2,680,000 fighter missions and 6,731 in the Mediterranean area and lost 80,000 airmen total.
Iwo Jima was the Marines deadliest campaign costing 6,821 Marines killed in action.
In the Okinawa campaign, 4,582 Army, 2,792 Marine and 4,907 Navy personnel killed.
The British Bomber Command lost 10,688 bombers.
Russia lost an estimated 26 million people in the war.
The Luftwaffe lost 70,000 airmen and 25,000 fighters.
Germany lost 743 U Boats and 26,000 crewmen with a personnel loss ratio of 75%.
The United States lost 52 submarines to the Japanese and 3,505 crewmen with a personnel loss ratio of 20%.
Never forget history because nations that lose their memory....die!
The Gallop poll in 2004 found that only 47% of the 18 - 29 year olds could identify Germany as the enemy nation at Omaha Beach and only 40% knew the invasion was in France.
