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What was the bloodiest battle in history and how would you measure it?

Stalingrad - nearly 2 million died, but this was over a protracted period. What about highest death-toll on a single day? Many bloody battles occurred on Russian soil - why is that?

Military Times have compiled a list of their top five:

http://www.military-times.co.uk/article ... istory.htm

Have they missed anything out? Are ancient battles as bloody as modern ones without modern weaponry?

Some nasty battles in there with high death statistics.

I'd have to say Normandy landings and Op Market Garden were quite bloody, although not on a scale of Stalingrad or the Somme.

Verdun...Somme...Ypres...Paschendale..WW1 on the Russian front,

Single day casualties belong to Gettysburg Pennsylvania during the War Between the States or the War of Northen Aggresion as we southern boys call it
Gnl.Lee sent the Army of Northen Virginia in a suicidal charge,uphill against well defended Yankee lines.Sad day for the South and the ANV due to attrition and desertions never recovered.

The Normandy Landings in World War 2 were pretty brutal, especially Utah and Omaha Beach fronts, June 6 1944. You could also read up on the Holland Invasions, also known as Operation: Market Garden, this was a massive faliure for the allies, both these examples are good if you are looking a WWII.

Gas Mask Man1 wrote: You could also read up on the Holland Invasions, also known as Operation: Market Garden, this was a massive faliure for the allies, both these examples are good if you are looking a WWII.

I wouldnt say Market Garden was a Massive Failure. yes we failed to achieve all the objectives, and took heavy casualties but we took to bridges and moved deep into Holland.

Ares

In terms of overall casualties the Taiping rebellion is definitelly high up there. Hardly anyone knows about it because it was partly overshadowed by the American Civil War. Estimates of casualties range from 20 to 40 million (including civillians). We only perceive the battles of WWI and II to have been very bloody because they are the first ones to have been documented and thus are more palpable. But I would not even be surprised if the Taiping Rebellion wasn't the bloodiest conflict.