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Veterans Field of Honor in the Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, New Jersey. Photo by Zeete on

Cold War Casualties: How Many People Died in the Cold War?

After World War II, George Orwell, an English Writer used the term Cold War in his essay 鈥淵ou and the Atomic Bomb鈥�. On 10^th March 1946, he wrote in the Observer 鈥渁fter the Moscow conference last December, Russia began to make a 鈥楥old War鈥� on Britain and the British Empire.鈥�

And this is how it started with the United States, together with several other First World countries, dominating the Western Bloc. These countries were typically liberal democracies, but they were also connected to a network of authoritarian states, the majority of which were their former colonies.

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which had sway throughout the Second World and was connected to a network of totalitarian republics, led the Eastern Bloc. Although the Cold War did not typically result in as many losses as in past wars, many warriors nonetheless lost their lives while defending freedom.

The majority of the losses occurred during training, and these warriors lost their lives abroad for freedom. Let鈥檚 learn about the Cold War Casualties: How Many People Died in the Cold War.

Also, read on 10 Chilling Conflicts That Happened During The Cold War.

1. Hungarian Rebellion and Repression

Austro-Hungarian machine guns somewhere in the Tyrolean high mountains area. Photo by Unknown Author on

The Soviet Union used iron fists in controlling their East Communist countries and retaining them under its wing. In Hungary, there were attempts to liberate the country from the Soviets which were never successful.

In October 1956, there was a nationwide uprising against the Communist government in Hungary which led to several casualties. Students began the demonstrations in an attempt to overthrow the regime. Initially, the Soviets were very willing to listen and negotiate with the Hungarians as well as withdraw their troops.

However, they decided to crush the revolution with an iron fist. Several tanks were deployed in Budapest where two thousand five hundred Hungarians lost their lives. Over 200,000 Hungarians fled their country as refugees. By January 1957, all the demonstrations and opposition had cooled down.

2. Poland Casualties

During the Cold War, Poland was under the Communist regime of the Soviet Union. However, with the harsh treatment during the communist regime, several Polish people were not happy with how the Soviet Union administration ruled over them.

From 1948 to 1987, several Poles became casualties of the Cold War. It is estimated that 22,000 to 54,000 Poles were executed and others killed by the communist regime.

3. Czechoslovakia Casualties

The emblem on the headstone indicates that this casualty of the war was Czechoslovakian. Photo by Mick Lobb on

There was the invasion of Czechoslovakia in the events that occurred from 20-21 August 1968. The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was invaded by four Warsaw Pact countries: The Soviet Union, the Polish People鈥檚 Republic, the People鈥檚 Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People鈥檚 Republic.

During this period of the Cold War, there were several casualties reported from the invasion. One hundred and thirty-seven Slovaks and Czechs were killed and a hundred others were wounded.

After this invasion, Czechoslovakia became a cooperative member of the Warsaw Pact under the Communist regime. The attack delayed the separation of Czechoslovakia from Eastern European Communism.

4. The Socialist Republic of Albania Casualties

The People鈥檚 Socialist Republic of Albania was under the rule of Marxist-Leninists and one-party rule that existed from 1947 to 1991. During the Cold War period, there were fears of invasion from the Communist section.

The fear that was spread throughout the Socialist People鈥檚 Republic of Albania led to the building of several bunkers in the country with some still existing. However, there were several casualties over this period which happened in various ways.

Political executions were very common in the Socialist Republic of Albania which was the main point of casualties during the Cold War. Between five thousand and twenty-five thousand people were killed during the Communist era.

5. Yugoslavia Casualties

After World War II, Yugoslavia comprised 7 countries that were on the neutral side over the Cold War period. However, there was no peace in Yugoslavia over this period as it was torn apart by the rise of ethnonationalism, a series of political conflicts, and Greater Serbian expansions.

The United States did its best to ensure there was peace, but there were several casualties over this period. It is approximated that over two hundred thousand people were casualties of various ways of death during this period.

Yugoslavia later broke up and formed various states including the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia comprised Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia later came to be known as Serbia and Montenegro.

6. The United States Casualties

Veterans Field of Honor in the Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, New Jersey. Photo by Zeete on

During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were the key players as they were the two superpowers of the world. Both nations lost several people during the Cold War which many think was not a real war that could have turned out tragic if quick solutions were not made.

The United States lost around three hundred and eighty-two people during the Cold War. Some of the casualties came through direct enemy action while others were during some training drills. The intervention from the United States and the Soviet Union save the world from a nuclear war.

7. Cuban Casualties

Cuba became an epicenter of the Cold War where a third world war could have broken out. The Soviet Union had begun some secret missions in Cuba where Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel Castro were involved.

In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis was feared to bring about a deadly war, but the US and Soviet Union agreed to end it. However, just one person was killed in Cuba during the Cold War.

8. The Soviet Union Casualties

Exhausted but thoughtful Soviet soldiers in the trenches of the Leningrad Front before an offensive. Photo by Cassowary on

The Soviet Union was one of the contributors to the Cold War alongside the United States. Leaders of the Soviet Union supported the Communist agenda forming part of the Eastern European Communism region while the United States sided with the West.

The Soviet Union kept on threatening the peace of the world with the war between their allies and those states allied with the United States. During the Cold War, it is believed that thousands of people were killed with numbers exceeding 100,000 through democides, political executions, and other deaths.

Read more about Top 10 Facts about the Berlin Airlift during Cold War.

9. Germany Casualties

Germany Under Allied Occupation. Photo by Devon S D on

Germany was at the center stage of the Cold War which lasted for 45 years. The country was divided into East and West Germany which was affected in various ways over this period. It is estimated that 327 people were killed at the East-German border during the Cold War.

The majority of the casualties were civilians trying to flee to the West from Communist East Germany due to the oppression. 262 people died at the Berlin Wall and twenty-four East German border guards were shot while on duty. Other people drowned while trying to cross and others were shot at by the soldiers.

10. Other Participating Countries Casualties

Some of the Allies of the United States and the Soviet Union like Belgium, France, and some North African countries were not affected greatly by the Cold War. Their roles were not as active in Germany, Cuba, and some of those in Europe. In these other countries, the numbers of casualties were not as high as the major players of the Cold War.

In the forty-five years of the Cold War, several peace pacts, modernization, and more were achieved. The effort made by the United States helped in cooling down a possibility of a nuclear war that was to be brought up by the Soviet Union and its allies.

Read on 10 Things to know about the Arms Race during the Cold War.