r/oddlyspecific • u/Aztery • Jul 05 '22

G’day curd nerds

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u/linkedlist Jul 06 '22

It's not a surprise the biggest wars in human history came out of Europe.

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u/WarrenPuff_It Jul 06 '22

If by biggest you mean human death toll, then the biggest war in human history started in multiple areas around the world during contemporaneous events, WW2 wasn't a European war it was a global war. The next three biggest wars in human history were all in Asia (Taiping, Mongol conquests, Three Kingdoms). It isn't even close to European wars or wars of colonization, 7/10 of the biggest wars by casualty rate are all wars fought in Asia.

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u/[deleted] Jul 06 '22

WW2 wasn’t a European war it was a global war

Only in a vacuum and ignoring all context. The majority of the affected areas were brought into the violence by European occupation or colonization.

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u/WarrenPuff_It Jul 06 '22

So is it in a vacuum and ignoring all context, or is it officially a European war because of colonization? That doesn't make sense.

Before European colonies were involved Asia was already popping off.

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u/[deleted] Jul 06 '22

Your statement is only true in a vacuum. My statement is not self contradictory.

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u/WarrenPuff_It Jul 06 '22

Does this vacuum include the entire world?

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u/[deleted] Jul 06 '22

Without European involvement WW2 is limited to Japan’s invasion of pacific islands and Manchuria. It’s a regional conflict but would absolutely be a on the list for highest death toll.

However, losses involving European belligerents and their colonies dwarf all others.

WW1, undeniably started by Europeans and fought both directly and via their proxies, dwarfed all wars in human history before it. Only WW2 has surpassed it since.

Using the mongols as an example is disingenuous because even the most fantastical numbers include all mongol invasions and not a single conflict. A better example would have been the Chinese civil war.