Transcript What kind of dictatorship was Hitler`s dictatorship? B aim – to explain

The problem: Germany had built an economy for
rearmament extremely quickly. By 1939 Germany
was spending too much on rearmament. There
were shortages of food, consumer goods and raw
materials which meant that rearmament was
slowing down.
What were the Nazis options?
New Divider – last one! It will last three weeks
• How did WWII affect the popularity of the
Nazis? – a question
• The economy – pre-war, war-time, Goering,
Todt, Speer, successes and failures
• Morale of war – opposition and conformity
• Repressing dissent and opposition
• Persecution of the Jews
• Creation of the Final Solution
Recap – the economy
• How did the Nazis approach the economy
from 1933 to 1939?
• Organise by year...
• How far did the Nazis approach to the
economy ensure the German people
supported the new regime?
The Nazi Wartime Economy
C aim – to explain the economic causes of WWII and
the actions of Schacht and Speer
B/A aim – to assess whether the economy caused WWII
and how effective Schacht and Speer were
The problem: Germany had built an economy for
rearmament extremely quickly. By 1939 Germany
was spending too much on rearmament. There
were shortages of food, consumer goods and raw
materials which meant that rearmament was
slowing down.
How could taking over parts of Europe solve this
problem?
Problem
Problem
Germany was spending too
much on rearmament
Shortages of raw materials
for rearmament, food and
consumer goods
Labour shortages which
meant wages were going up
and costing more
Agriculture was suffering
from labour shortages, price
freezes due to shortages and
declining dairy production
which was the main source
of fats
Exports were declining and
imports were increasing for
war production
Growing public deficit
Fear or popular unrest and
people thinking of removing
Hitler due to the pressure
How taking over parts of Europe could solve this
• But...
– The evidence for these problems in the economy are
based on eye witness reports
– Nazi reports show problems in 1939 but not a crisis
– State controls on wages and prices were stopping inflation
which could happen from spending too much money on
rearmament, so there was no need to go to war to stop
rearmament
– Little evidence of social unrest
– WWII produced an economic crisis as it became a large
scale war rather than a localised war
– Hitler’s aims were more important for causing WWII
So, do you think WWII occurred to overcome
economic problems? Or was it planned for other
reasons? Or was it an opportunistic war?
• C – Was there an economic crisis in 1939 and
did this push Germany in to war?
• B/A - Considering the economic factors do you
believe that WWII happened due to
intentionalist (master plan) or structuralist
(circumstantial) factors?
Goering and Hitler
• Hitler and Goering issued war decrees that
focused all their resources and the economy
to support the war effort.
• Look at table 14.1 green book.
• Read p. 336 green book and list the positive
impact that Goering and Hitler had on the
economy preparing for war.
• Goering faced serious problems. There were
inefficiencies and Germany was still not producing
enough. Eventually Todt tried to help when he
became Minister for Armaments and Munitions in
1940 – he gave industrialists greater control over
production and reduced military interference. Todt
died in 1942 and Speer took over as Minister for
Armaments and Munitions. Goering never lost his
position, Speer just became more influential. Once
Speer took over he rationalised the German
economy. He co-ordinated it all and was a
technocrat. In 1943, after the loss of the Battle of
Stalingrad Goebbels gave his total war speech, from
which the drive to strengthen the economy for war
intensified – source 21.11 p. 418 pink book.
Faltering Goering and Speer’s solutions
Use pp. 414-417 pink book and 336-338 green book
to fill in this table.
Economic problem
that Goering was
facing
Why was he facing
this problem?
How did Speer solve
this problem?
How well did Speer
solve this problem?
Economic problem that Goering was facing
which was preventing him from producing
enough
Why was he facing this problem?
How did Speer solve this problem?
How well did Speer solve this
problem?
Gauleiter empires – caused financial
corruption
Lack of control over Gauleiters by Hitler –
central meetings were just an opportunity
for an audience, competing.
Threatened Gauleiters, got Hitler’s support against
them
Many Gauleiters stayed powerful.
Inadequate standardisation of equipment –
different branches of the armed forces used
different equipment and standards
No overseeing individual or someone with
overall control. Hitler out of control.
Competing senior Nazis.
Devoloped Todt’s industrial self-responsibility. Speer
standardised equipment. Rationalised transport
production – e.g. Only 3 types of lorry now allowed.
It was standardised and
rationalised.
Production of non-essential goods
Hitler’s vanity projects and people ignoring
directives.
Speer banned resources being used for non-military
uses. Ensured non-military metal was melted down for
the war effort.
Much improved.
Prestige construction projects – Hitler
obsessed with V1 and V2 rockets which
never worked and effort wasn’t put into
their best jet. Hitler encouraged grandiose
public buildings.
Hitler’s style of dictatorship and no-one
wanting to question him
Stopped construction of post-war projects.
Much improved.
Inadequate mobilisation of Labour. Women
not used.
Nazi ideology.
Extended labour force, using women, more shifts,
prisoners and Eastern Europeans.
Extended labour force, but skilled
workers kept being conscripted.
Competing demands of different sections of
the armed forces and the army interfering
too much – they emphasised quality and not
quantity
Intimidating and all-powerful military.
Devoloped Todt’s industrial self-responsibility. Military
had to submit requirments to Speer ‘s Central Planning
Board with their number of supporting committees,
who had the most accurate overseeing role of
production. Industrialists had more freedom.
Much better.
Corruption and distorted figures
Intimidating and all-powerful military.
Devoloped Todt’s industrial self-responsibility. Military
had to submit requirments to Speer who had the most
accurate overseeing role of production. Speer punished
inaccurate data.
Much better.
Political infighting - ministry of armaments,
economy, finance, four year plan, SS bodies,
armed forces and labour all competed over
the economy and the best ideas.
Style of the Nazi dictatorship.
Made his own ministry the most powerful by
supporting Hitler.
Didn’t get his man as Labour
Deployment Minister – instead
Lammers got who he wanted.
Haphazard developments of new
offices – e.g. The Armaments
ministry.
Shortages, bottlenecks, duplication and
waste. Not producing as much as their
enemies.
Many projects to prepare for war weren’t
due to be finished until 1942, but war broke
out in 1939.
Devoloped Todt’s industrial self-responsibility. Military
had to submit requirments to Speer who had the most
accurate overseeing role of production.
Improved – but not enough to
catch up with others.
Anti-Semitism lost the Nazis their best
Scientists and wasted rail resources
Nazi ideology.
He didn’t.
He didn’t.
• How did Speer improve the economy from
1942? (include the problems and solutions in
your answer.
• How successful were these individuals?
– Goering
– Todt
– Speer – pp. 338-340 green book.
General – overcame bombing
raids.
• What does the war economy show you about
Hitler’s style of dictatorship?
Main Events in the Economy
• Homework
• Read over the lesson and answer.
• To what extent did the Nazis meet the
economic demands of war from 1939 to
1945? (30 marks)