Nazi economy 1939-45

Question 1

germany getting ready for war:

Answer 1

-4yp since 1936
-3rd sept 1939: Decree for the Conversion of the Whole German Economy onto a War Footing
-Military expenditure doubled 1939-41 and 55% of population worked in war related jobs by 1942

Question 2

mobilisation of ger economy for war

Answer 2

-not until 1942
-armed forces suffered shortages 1939-41
-Luftwaffe= 8290 in 1939, 10780 in 1941
-3500 tanks for operation barbarossa

Question 3

what disrupted military plans?

Answer 3

-the outbreak of war
-germany did not think that war would begin until operation Barbarossa 1941

Question 4

weaknesses of armament production

Answer 4

-quality over quantity
-labour force in armaments rose from 21% to 55% from sept 1939- jan 1941

Question 5

political weaknesses

Answer 5

-goring minister of economics
-poor relations w/ military, industry, banking leaders
-He was vain and greedy
-incapable of making the economy centrally co-ordinated
-weaknesses of 4yp and management became apparent
-diff departments in competition

Question 6

Speer

Answer 6

-became Minister of Armaments 1942
-seen as a potential successor to Hitler
-established a central planning agency
-central coordination, narrower range of products, production lines used, more shift work

Question 7

was speer successful?

Answer 7

-ammunition up 97%, total arms production up 59% in 6 months
-1941-43= aircraft production 200%, tanks 250%
-production increased to 1000 per months
-war production trebled in 2 years
-worker productivity up 60%

Question 8

impact of allied bombing on the economy

Answer 8

-impact due to damage to factories, supply lines, morale of workers
-35% fewer tanks, 31% fewer aircraft, 42% fewre lorries produced as a result

Question 9

mobilisation of the labour force

Answer 9

-full scale conscription into war industry not implemented in first 2 years
-dec 1941= labour supply crucial (ger reverse near moscow)
-jan 1943= total war speech, increase in labour supply (defeat at stalingrad)
-Decree for the Comprehensive Deployment of Men and Women for Reich Defence Tasks
-men (16-65) women (17-45) register for work
-small businesses shut

Question 10

foreign labour

Answer 10

-June 1940- spring 1942 most foreign workers from occupied countries in W. Europe
-Russian PoW used as slave labour
-Dec 1941= 4mill foreign workers
-March 1942= Plenipotentiary General for Labour Allocation to organise procurement and allocation of foreign labour headed by Fritz Sauckel
-1944= 25% of ger labour force