Depopulation and recovery

[Argeus the Paladin]

There is one question I've been wondering since I got into history and warfare.

In wars, depopulation is inevitable, as a result of battle death, famine, natural disaster due to negligence of dams and infrastructure etc. etc.

But in extreme cases like Russia after WWII, when practically whole generations had perished, how could the population rise up again?

Discuss.

[bushbush]

bomchickawahwah......

[thursgun]

bomchickawahwah......

Yeah, 'Baby Boom' was a worldwide event, for victors and losers of the war.

[Viking Prince]

First -- the women and children may suffer greatly, but the casualties of war are principally for military age men.

Second -- the population increases the same way it always does. The growth rate has more to do with the number of children surving to reproduce than anything else.

What have you seen to suggest that the Russian post war population growth is unusual?

[Argeus the Paladin]

The very reason why I ask this question is because the growth of population in the USSR after war was hardly abnormal, while I'd expect and assume that with such a drastic population decrease a nation might well not survive that generation.

Or maybe it's just me.

[hellheaven1987]

It depends on how serious the population really lost. Most population lost happened because refugee exiled to other countries, and most of them did return once the situation was favorable to them.

Other method, such as colonization (used by Crusader), is quite effective too.

[Odovacar]

Germany accepted many immigrants after ww2 as far as I know. Mainly people of german blood from other countries. And foreigners too. Russia's population was affected too, but first that meant lack of manpower.

Usually depopulation was handled by calling in foreign settlers.