Both sides practised widespread scorched earth tactics, but the loss of civilian lives in the case of Germany was incomparably smaller than that of the Soviet Union, in which at least 20 million were killed.
Begge sider benyttede i vidt omfang Den brændte jords taktik, men tabet af civile liv var langt mindre i Tyskland end i Sovjetunionen, hvor mindst 20 mio. civile blev dræbt af nazisterne.