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WWI
Overall Statistics
McLean County, Illinois
(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

The world war began July 28, 1914, and ended November 10, 1918. Thus it lasted four years, three months and 15 days 1,567 days. As the war map was painted the Central powers were victorious for four years less ten days. Then in just 115 days Marshal Foch and the Allies destroyed autocracy. In casualties the entente nations lost in dead and wounded 15,525,000 men, and the Central Powers, 12,350,000 a total of 27,875,000. The dead probably number 10,000,000 of that total. In money, the estimated cost of this gigantic conflict is approximately $250,000,000,000. Following is the estimated loss to each nation: The Allies Great Britain $ 52,000,000,000 United States $ 40,000,000,000 France $ 32,000,000,000 Russia $ 30,000,000,000 Italy $ 12,000,000,000 Roumania $ 3,000,000,000 Serbia $ 3,000,000,000 Total $172,000,000,000 The Central Powers Germany $ 45,000,000,000 Austria-Hungary $ 25,000,000,000 Turkey $ 5,000,000,000 Bulgaria $ 2,000,000,000 Total $ 77,000,000,000 About $150,000,000,000 of the total war cost was raised by war loans of various nations and comparatively little by taxation. The public debt of the principal Entente Allies was calculated at approximately $105,000,000,000, or more than twice as much as the aggregate debt of the Central Powers, set at $45,000,000,000. An estimate was made six months after the close of the war, of the number of American fighting men buried on the soil of France. The total was close to 75,000, the total casualties being stated as follows: Army Marines Total Killed in action 32,232 1,473 33,705 Died of wounds 13,412 742 14,154 Died of disease 22,404 284 22,688 Died, other causes 4,025 11 4,036 Total dead 72,023 2,510 74,583 Taken prisoner 4,702 75 4,777 Missing in action 4,852 99 4,951 Wounded 194,808 3,224 108,037 Grand total 282,348 The total casualties shown do not represent individuals but casualties reported, as most of the "died of wounds" were previously reported wounded and, in many cases, men have been wounded more than once. [McLean County, Illinois, in the World War, 1917-1918; by Edward E. Pierson & Jacob Louis Hasbrouck c 1921]

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