Germany - 3.1.2 World War II

Question 1

The Second World War had a huge impact on the German economy between 1939 to 1942. Operation ____________ (the invasion of the Soviet Union) and Total War and viewed to be the turning points

Answer 1

Barbarossa

Question 2

When was the rationing system set up?

Answer 2

August 1939

Question 3

Why were there few shortages to begin with?

Answer 3

Foods and goods were sent back to Germany from countries the army occupied

Question 4

How did people illegally get luxury goods when rationing was taking place?

Answer 4

There was a thriving black market (illegal trade) for luxury goods for those that could afford to pay high prices

Question 5

What items were rationed after the war began?

Answer 5

Clothes, soap, fuel and petrol

Question 6

When and why did shortages of some rations become noticeable?

Answer 6

Shortages of some rations only became noticeable in the winter of 1941-1942, as the German army struggled to battle on the Western Front and against the Soviet Union in the East at the same time

Question 7

As the German Army conquered new countries, they would send their loot (stolen goods) back home. This led to a black market for luxury goods. Despite this, the German people still send ___ million fur coats and ___ million woollen garments to German soldiers

Answer 7

1.5, 67

Question 8

What happened in 1941 to do with the Four-Year Plan?

Answer 8

By 1941, the failures of the Four-Year Plan became more obvious as the German army suffered from shortages of weapons and equipment.

Question 9

Who became Germany’s Minister of Armaments in 1942?

Answer 9

Albert Speer

Question 10

From 1943, Germany was on a ‘Total War’ footing where the whole economy was geared towards the war. What 4 things did Germany do to ensure this?

Answer 10

• All businesses were dedicated to the war effort (war work or food production), otherwise, they were closed
• Workers were transferred to war work, which helped to improve the situation in Germany
• All leisure establishments were shut down. Only cinemas stayed open to show propaganda films for morale (public confidence)
• Services such as the postal service were stopped

Question 11

Between March 1942 and ____ _____, Great Britain and the US bombed major German cities. These bombings aimed to cause maximum civilian casualties

Answer 11

May 1945

Question 12

We can think of the German invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) as a turning point in German fortune. By _____, the impact of the war was taking its toll on Germany

Answer 12

1942

Question 13

Between March 1942 and May 1945, when GB and the US were bombing major German cities, how much of Dresden was destroyed?

Answer 13

70%

Question 14

What effect did the British and the US bombing raids have on Germany? (3)

Answer 14

• Although air raid shelters had been built, 500,000 civilians were killed and 750,000 Germans were wounded in these raids
• The bombing destroyed over 1 million homes. This meant that over 7 million people were left homeless
• Bomb raids also targeted supply lines and factories; this damaged the war effort because it stopped armaments (weapons and military equipment) being sent to the front line

Question 15

How many civilians were killed in Germany during the British and US bombing raids?

Answer 15

500,000

Question 16

How many civilians were inured in Germany during the British and US bombing raids?

Answer 16

750,000

Question 17

How many homes in Germany were destroyed during the British and US bombing raids and how many people were left homeless?

Answer 17

The bombing destroyed over 1 million homes. This meant that over 7 million people were left homeless

Question 18

Between 1942 and 1945, rationing had increased for German civilians. Shortages increased and this meant rations were reduced. Clothing rations were completely stopped. How did people survive?

Answer 18

By 1945, the rationing system had almost totally collapsed, and there were severe shortages of food and other essentials. People relied on the black market or had to scavenge for food

Question 19

By 1943, there was a noticeable shortage of labour. How did the Nazis force people to work (4) and why were some women exempt from working?

Answer 19

• In January 1943, all men aged 16-65 and women aged 17-45 had to register for work. Women were exempt if they were pregnant, had 2 or more young children or were farmers’ wives
• Workers in European occupied countries were sent to Germany to work
• Forced labour increased dramatically to include Russian prisoners of war and people in labour and concentration camps
• Boys and girls from the Hitler Youth and League of German Maidens (BDM) helped with farm work

Question 20

Whilst Germany was forcing people to work to help with the labour shortages, although 3 million women were called to work, how many actually came?

Answer 20

1 million

Question 21

Aside from the refugees being driven out by the Nazi’s racial policies, why did German refugees move to other parts of Germany?

Answer 21

They had become homeless during the bombings of Dresden and Berlin so they moved to other parts of Germany

Question 22

When did millions of refugees come from countries such as Poland and Czechoslovakia in fear of the Red Army from the Soviet Union?

Answer 22

July 1944

Question 23

When did the Russians invade Germany and so millions fled to the Western cities? + what did this cause

Answer 23

January 1945; this place more pressure on cities that were already strained by bomb raids