Answer:
There are several factors that can help account for the increase in civilian deaths during World War II. Two significant factors include:Bombing Campaigns: The extensive use of strategic bombing by both the Allied and Axis powers led to a significant increase in civilian casualties. Cities and industrial areas became targets, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of civilian lives. Major bombing campaigns such as the Blitz in London, the firebombing of Tokyo, and the devastating bombings of Dresden and Hiroshima are examples of how aerial attacks caused massive civilian casualties.Massacres and Atrocities: The war witnessed numerous massacres and atrocities committed against civilian populations by various parties involved. The Holocaust stands out as one of the most horrifying examples, where millions of Jews and other minority groups were systematically exterminated by Nazi Germany. Additionally, there were other instances of mass killings, such as the Nanjing Massacre in China, where an estimated 300,000 Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers were killed by the Imperial Japanese Army.These factors, along with others such as forced labor, displacement, and starvation resulting from the war's impact on infrastructure and resources, contributed to the significant increase in civilian deaths during World War II.