Current History, Vol. VIII, No. 3, June 1918: A Monthly Magazine of the New York TimesVarious
History
Current History, Vol. VIII, No. 3, June 1918: A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times
Various
World War, 1914-1918
January 48,000 April 59,000
February 39,000 May, June and
March 39,600 July 134,850
--------
Total, (7 months) 320,450
These figures give, on the western front,
from Aug. 2, 1914, to July 31, 1917, an aggregate
of 2,604,961 casualties.
EASTERN FRONT
1914 163,900 1916 359,800
1915 699,600 1917 261,200
This gives a total from Aug. 2, 1914, to July 31, 1917, of 1,484,550,
and for the two fronts combined of 4,089,511.
From Aug. 1, 1917, to Jan. 31, 1918, Herr Bleibtreu estimates the total
losses on both fronts at 367,450, making in all 4,456,961 men.
In adding those who died from illness or wounds, the losses resulting
from the colonial and maritime fighting, as well as in the noncombatant
and auxiliary services, not comprised in the preceding enumeration, the
grand total considerably exceeds 5,000,000.
Estimates of German losses from Jan. 31, 1918, to May 20, 1918, range
from 400,000 to 600,000. If the above figures are correct, the total
German loss in the forty-six months of the war exceeds 5,600,000. The
London Telegraph, in analyzing these figures, said:
With regard to the figures given by Herr Bleibtreu, it may be
remarked that they are enormously in excess over those compiled in
well-informed quarters from the official casualty lists published by
the German Government, and issued periodically. Down to July 31,
1918, these lists had contained a grand total of 4,624,256 names,
but did not include naval or Colonial troop losses. Of the above
figure the following are the permanent losses:
Killed and died of wounds 1,056,975
Died of sickness 75,988
Prisoners 335,269
Missing 267,237
---------
Total 1,735,469
These statistics are merely the names published down to July 31, 1917,
and are not to be taken as the actual total casualties, as the lists are
always at least several weeks behindhand. But even allowing for this
fact, Bleibtreu's estimate for the killed in action and prisoners alone
is considerably more than double those officially acknowledged by
Berlin, and nearly equal to the total casualties admitted in the
official lists from all causes. Of this remarkable discrepancy there can
be only two possible explanations. Either the German Government has
throughout the war systematically falsified its casualty lists--and
there is good reason to believe that this is the case--or else Bleibtreu
has been put up by the German Staff to publish a set of statistics
intended deliberately to mislead the Allies.
Great Britain's Finances
Heavy War Taxes Levied
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