The WWII myths

One of persistent WWII myth is that the Red Army enjoyed staggering numerical advantage over Axis forces on the eastern front.

If we compare Human resources of Axis country versus Soviet Union, it is difficult to understand haw this myth has persisted for so long.

Population of Soviet Union in  June1941 was 196,716,000. This include newly acquired population of Baltic states, Eastern Poland and territory gained from Romania.

Axis population base was as below;

The Third Reich census of May 1939-population 79,375,281. This included  since 1935 with Saargebiet (Saar district), since 1938 with Ostmark (Austria) and Sudetenland, since March 1939 with Memelland acquired from Lithuania.

Additionally, Germany acquired population of Polish ethnic German1,100,000.

approximately (my estimation)  450,000 Ethnic Germans from Protectorate of Czech and Moravia France, Belgium, Netherlands  and Yugoslavia should be taken under consideration.

This will give total German population on territories controlled in June 1941  by III Reich close to 81,000,000

Slovakia population in 1941-2,750,000

Hungary-9,350,000

Romania-13,6000,000

Finland (not member of Axis but actively participated in Eastern Front fighting)-3,710,000

Total population of Axis Countries and associates in June 1941 was approximately 110,000,000 vs population of Soviet Union approximately 196,000,000.

For clarity, I have not included Italians(Italian army in Russia)  and Spanish Blue Division as well as SS divisions formed from different nationalities such as French, Nordic countries, Croatia, Ukraine, Russian renegades and so on.

During first months of Barbarossa, Germany occupied  all Baltic states, Belarus, Ukraine, territories of Eastern Poland and part of Western Russia with population as below;

Lithuania -2,879,070

Latvia-1,995,000

Estonia-1,134,000

Eastern Poland-13,000,000

Belarus population 1939 census- 5,568,994

Ukraine population 1939 census 23,667,509

Total population loss by Soviet Union Including western Russia-(my estimation) will be in the range of 50,000,000 less population evacuated east during the mass evacuation of industry beyond Ural. This number is unknown but, taking as an example Baltic States, this evacuation did not exceed  20% including mobilised soldiers.

Taking above under consideration, unoccupied Soviet Union population was in the range of 150-160 millions.

Soviet Union industry employed only Soviet Union citizens where Germany used human resources of entire Europe to supply workforce for German economy.

Where the myth of overwhelming Soviet superiority in numbers come from?

The population base of Axis countries  and Soviet union was comparable but Stalin's mobilisation was more ruthless than Hitler.

At the end of 1942 Red Army comprised 800,000 women, often in front line combat units. Also the mobilisation upper age for soviet citizens was  higher than in Germany.