Germany Depth Study-Life during World War II Flashcards
When did World War Two break out?
September 1939
What was one of the first things to happen in wartime Germany?
Rationing was introduced for food, clothes, soap, hot water.
What happened to many of the luxury items in Germany?
Rationing meant that buying clothes involved a complicated points system, hot water was only permitted on two days a week, soap became hard to come by, tobacco became almost as valuable as money.
What happened to propaganda during the War?
Several propaganda campaigns were launched to keep up morale and to get Germans to support the war effort. Other campaigns also tried to persuade Germans to save fuel, work harder and even try to avoid tooth decay.
What is total war?
Total war is when every aspect of society is affected by war.
What happened to anything in Germany that did not contribute to the war effort?
Anything that did not contribute to the war effort was shut down. By March 1943 professional sport ended, magazines closed, non-essential businesses were shut down, clothes production was suspended.
What happened to the work force in Germany during the war?
Most men were in the army, so women were drafted into the labour force. In concentration camps prisoners worked to their deaths trying to keep up with the Germany war effort.
When was the first air raid in Berlin?
August 1940
What did many Germans do as a result of the air raids?
Many Germans were evacuated or left to live in rural areas.
Could the Nazi Government cope with the destruction of Germany?
By 1945 the German administration was in chaos. Ration cards did not mean anything and people scavenged what they could.
What happened to women during the War?
Women had to work but the Nazis also wanted them to still have children and to conform to the ideal Nazi women.
What sort of work did women do during the Second World War?
Some served refreshments at railway stations, others did Red Cross work and some helped collect and sift scrap metal.
How did life for women change after 1943?
More women were called to work. Three million women aged 17 to 45 were called to work. However only a million went to work. Some claimed to be ill, others got pregnant deliberately.
How did War change the Hitler Youth?
Boys handed out ration cards, posted out draft orders to the Germany Army, they also went house to house collecting scrap metal and any other items needed for the war effort. The Hitler Youth was also used to make people still believe in Nazi ideas. Towards the end of the war, members of the Hitler Youth started to fight and man anti-aircraft guns in the cities.
When did things start to go badly for Germany during the Second World War?
When the USA got involved in 1941 following Pearl Habour and when Germany attacked USSR in 1941.