Transcript The Nazi Economy at war 1939-1945

The Nazi Economy at
war 1939-1945
THREE STAGES
• 1) 1933-1936
• Schacht – ‘economic
recovery’
• 2) 1936-1939
• Goring – ‘Four Year Plan’
• 3) 1939-1945
• The Nazi Economy at war
1939 - War
• Economic needs during war?
• 1) Meet military demands –
organisation of labour and
production of armaments
• 2) Ensure that the German
population is stable, a
satisfactory level of
consumption. ‘Guns and
Butter’
• Focus – were the Nazis
successful at meeting these
demands between 1939-1945?
Blitzkrieg 1939-1941
• Some believe that there was only a partial economic
mobilisation until 1942/3 but others dispute this and say the
Nazis went well beyond the demands of Blitzkrieg and a limited
war
• Initial victories gave the impression that the economy had not
been stretched by war – however this was far from the truth
• War decrees announced by Hitler in Dec 1939 attempted to
outline every aspect of war production e.g. submarines and
aircraft. Led to military expenditure doubling between 1939
and 1941
• Rationing introduced, German labour force mobilised for war.
By 1941 55% of workforce involved in war related work – 20%
decline in civilian consumption
• How successful was economic mobilisation?
• Use table 2.5 and the text – highlight how successful
mobilisation was (Layton table 2.5 p.44 and limitations of
mobilisation p.44/5)
Total War 1941-1945
• By end of 1941, Germany at war with Britain, the
USSR and the USA
• December 1941 ‘Rationalisation Decree’ reform
of economy to eliminate waste of labour and
materials
• Feb 1942 – appointment of Albert Speer as
Minister of Armaments
• April 1942 – Central Planning Board – Speer as
director of Central Planning was able to maintain
overall control of the war economy
• Introduced – employing more women in arms
factories, making effective use of concentration
camp prisoners as workers, prevent skilled
workers being lost to conscription.
• How successful was he? (Layton p.46/7)
Total War 1941-1945
• Hitler had been confident of victory
against the Soviet Union and believed
gaining access to its raw materials and
fertile farmlands would solve the
problems of the German economy
• When the German advance was halted
in Dec 1941, he realised Germany had
to prepare for a long struggle – early
1942 he took the first steps toward
implementing a total war strategy
• Appointed Albert Speer who succeeded
in raising the production levels of vital
weapons and equipment
1945 - COLLAPSE
• Policy of ‘scorched earth’ and
the destruction of all industry as
the Allies crossed the borders of
Germany in early 1945 resisted
by Speer
• Jan 1945 German economy in a
state of collapse – partly due to
the impact of allied bombing
• 1944 the Allied campaign
reduced the production of
essential war materials by 40%
plenary
• Read through the revision hand out and
highlight any key facts/figures you could add to
your arguments for/against the Nazis meeting
the economic demands of total war
• Complete the ‘prioritisation’ activity at the top
of the second part of the sheet