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There's a lot to look at here, but it can give you a real sense of how much went on during this time.

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Presented by Prof Dennis Showalter Historian

The world goes to war

World War Two was the most destructive global conflict in history. It began when Nazi Germany unleashed ferocious attacks across Europe - but it spread to the Soviet Union, China, Japan and the United States.

Cities were destroyed by air raids, the atom bomb was dropped on Japan and six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Over 50 million soldiers and civilians died. However, the war that consumed half the world started with a peace agreement.

The Phoney War

Britain and France are now at war with Germany but for eight months Western Europe is largely peaceful.

Many expect Germany to continue its military expansion beyond Poland, but it delays its advance. This gives time for the British Army, made up of around 150,000 men, to travel to France. Allied forces are put on alert, guarding the border with Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. The French reinforce an impressive series of fortifications along the German border, the Maginot Line, but crucially they do not extend it to reach the Belgian frontier.
The Telegraph: The Phoney War

Fall of Singapore

The Imperial Japanese Army continues its expansionist ambitions by hurling itself into a series of offensives across Asia.

Japan's next target is Singapore. With the British defensive guns pointed south towards the sea, Japan mounts an audacious assault battling through the jungles of Thailand and Malaya to attack from the north. After a week of fighting, the Allied forces are running low on supplies. Around 16,000 British and 48,000 Australian and Indian troops surrender and become prisoners of war. The fall of Singapore is seen as a great humiliation for the British government.
On this day: Singapore forced to surrender

Battle of Okinawa

Japan's early success in the Pacific is brought to an end by the naval Battle of Midway in June 1942.

This is a vital turning point in the war. The Japanese go on the defensive and their empire is gradually pushed back. General MacArthur recaptures the Philippines from the Japanese in 1944, and in March 1945 the US overcomes fanatical resistance on the island of Iwo Jima. The Battle of Okinawa lasts for 82 days. Kamikaze pilots bombard the US ships off the coast, while on shore thousands of Okinawan civilians kill themselves, under pressure from Japanese army officers.
Remembering Japan's Kamikaze pilots

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World War Two: History's most savage and devastating war

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Presented by Prof Dennis Showalter Historian World War Two was the most destructive global conflict in history. It began when Nazi Germany unleashed ferocious attacks across Europe - but it spread to the Soviet Union, China, Japan and the United States.

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10 Inspiring Stories Of Bravery During The Battle Of Britain

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The types of bravery displayed varied. Strong leadership, a determination to defeat the enemy, self-sacrifice, and the risking of one's life for others were all rewarded. Those who went above and beyond the call of duty during this intense period of almost constant attack played a vital role in keeping the Royal Air Force (RAF) - and Britain - in the war.

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22 Amazing Colour Photos Of The Second World War

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From 'A handkerchief in time saves nine' to 'Plan ahead - allow for growing', the Home Front posters of the Second World War give a fascinating insight into life in Britain during the Second World War.

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About the Project

The Fallen of World War II is an interactive documentary that examines the human cost of the second World War and the decline in battle deaths in the years since the war. The 15-minute data visualization uses cinematic storytelling techniques to provide viewers with a fresh and dramatic perspective of a pivotal moment in history.

The film follows a linear narration, but it allows viewers to pause during key moments to interact with the charts and dig deeper into the numbers.

Credits

The film was written, directed, coded, and narrated by Neil Halloran. Original music and sound design was created by Andy Dollerson. Editorial feedback and technical consulting by AlteredQualiea.

The soundtrack is now available on Bandcamp.

Recommended Book

Inspiration and sources for the final segment of the film came largely from Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Nature.

Buy at Amazon

Viewing Issues & Options

Viewing the interactive version on fallen.io requires a relatively new computer and a modern web browser. Most mobile devices will not play the piece properly. If the frame rate is choppy or if you are having other technical problems, we recomend viewing the video version instead, which is hosted with Vimeo.

To view the video version on a television, you can use Vimeo to stream to your Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, and any other devices that can play Vimeo videos. Just search for "fallen.io".

Data Sources

The data set that drives this visualization will continue to be updated, and we are always looking for volunteers.

Much of the underlying sources are similar to those listed in the World War 2 Casualties Wikipedia Article. For itemized list of data entries, you can view the Google Fusion table.

Post-WWII statistics were sourced from the The Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP).

About the Series

Depending on how much interest is generated from this pilot episode, we would like to continue this project as a series. Future episodes would explore other trends of war and peace - from drones and terrorism to democracy and peacekeeping.

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The Fallen of World War II - Data-driven documentary about war & peace

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Fallen.io, a short animated data-driven documentary about war and peace, explores the harrowing statistics of World War II and sizes up its numbers to other wars in history, including recent conflicts.

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KS2 History learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.

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Home | The Digital Collections of the National WWII Museum : Oral Histories

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The National World War II Museum is home to thousands of oral histories and hundreds of thousands of photographs. This website offers the visitor a way to browse a sample of these collections and purchase images if interested.

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There are several videos to explore here. What did you find the most interesting?

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One of the Most Intense Aerial and Naval Bombardments

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During WWII, the 1945 attack on Balikpapan was described as "hell on earth" by those who witnessed it. This rare footage shows the epic scale of the assault, in which 3,000 tons of aerial bombs and 46,800 of naval ammunitions were used. From: FALL OF JAPAN: IN COLOR http://bit.ly/1Hqmwrp

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How did countries change each day of the war?

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How did countries change each day of the war?

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Did borders move? How? Why?

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What did Berlin look like when the war ended?

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What did Berlin look like when the war ended?

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Berlin in July 1945 (HD 1080p color footage)