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With it being the deadliest conflict in human history, I wonder if the planet felt emptier, quieter, after World War II

· 4 min read

Ever wonder what the Earth feels when a global tragedy wipes out millions of souls? Some think it’s a quiet, lonely planet; others think it’s just a lot of empty seats in the cafeteria. Let’s take a stroll through history to see if the planet actually grew quieter after its biggest bloodbath – World War II – and how that compares to other calamities that left the world oddly still.

From the Harrying of the North to the Potato Famine​

The story starts way back in 1066 when William the Conqueror, fresh off his Norman conquest, decided to Harry the North of England – not the Harry Potter way, but a brutal campaign of oppression and depopulation. The result? A region that still feels a bit thin‑lined today, almost a thousand years later. Think of it as the ancient version of a “no‑go‑zone” for people.

Fast forward a few centuries, and we land in Ireland, where the potato famine turned a thriving nation into a ghost town. The population plummeted from 8 million to 2 million. That’s a 75 % drop in people you might know and a lot of lonely streets. Yet, people still call Ireland a people place – maybe because the survivors were just that good at making the most of a quiet country.

The Black Death, WWII, and a Few Other “How Did We Survive?” Moments​

  • The Black Death – Roughly 50 million people vanished, wiping out about half of Europe. That’s a massive empty‑room scenario, but it’s still a smaller percentage than some other historical plagues and wars.
  • WWII – About 36–40 million deaths, roughly 3 % of the global population at the time. It’s the biggest conflict in history, but the percentage hit is surprisingly modest compared to the Black Death.
  • Three Kingdoms War (220–280 AD, China) – An estimated 18 % of the population died, a higher percentage than WWII but still less than a plague‑driven collapse.

The takeaway? Percentage of deaths and the “feel” of emptiness aren’t always linearly related. A smaller percentage can feel like a larger vacuum if the loss is concentrated in a tight community, while a huge loss spread across continents can feel… well, still.

The Planet’s Quiet? Or Just a Big, Silent Crowd?​

So did Earth feel emptier after WWII? The numbers suggest not as dramatic as the Black Death or a plague, but the cultural impact was huge. We lost millions of lives, saw entire cities turned into husks, and the global psyche was forever changed. Imagine a world where the majority of the population is suddenly gone – that’s a quiet, lonely place. But if you’re looking at the planet as a whole, it’s still bustling, just with a few extra empty chairs.

TL;DR​

  • William the Conqueror Harryed northern England, leaving a “thin” region centuries later.
  • Ireland’s potato famine cut 75 % of its population, yet it remains a people place.
  • The Black Death killed ~50 % of Europe; WWII killed ~3 % worldwide.
  • The feel of emptiness doesn’t match the percentage of deaths; it’s all about context and community.

Can you elaborate on Ireland being a people place? Are they known for welcoming tourism / for their hospitality?

If so, that’s quite interesting if it’s indeed a result of the historical population decimation. Sort of beautiful in a way.

Did some research:

The 70-85 million that died in WW2 was approximately 3% of the population, which pales in comparison to the war during the Three Kingdoms era in China 220-280 A.D. where 18% of the population died. Despite the lower death toll of 36-40 million, one would expect there’d be a more tangible “emptiness” to life after the latter.

The black death plague reportedly took 50 million Europeans, which at the time was 50%. other major plagues also took comparable percentages. war is nothing next to plagues.