Nazi Germany: Germany at War Flashcards
Initial Reaction to the outbreak of war in 1939
Reacted with resignation. Could still remember world war 1
Many feared repeat of shortages and huge loss of life experienced during World War One.
Majority of Germans reluctantly supported war and signed up to play part in war
Impact of rationing on the German people
Artificial substitutes had to be found for foods that were scarce
700g of meat in 1939 to 250g in 1945.
Public parks and gardens used as vegetable patches
people encouraged to use new recipes such as Daisy salad
Germans vital to war effort received rations
Milk bottles filled with salt in shop windows to make appear full
Clothes and Footwear were rationing after November 1939
Soap subject to rationing and Germans could only use hot water to shower 2 days per week
Black market emerged to supply rationed goods
How did the allies change their strategy in Area bombing
early years of war industrial targets were aim. But this had limited success
Changed their approach to bombing towns and cities with aim of destroying German people’s will to fight
Key Raids of Area Bombing
Hamburg bombed twice. An estimated 50,000 people died in the first raid. An estimated one million left homeless.
Dresden was attacked over two nights in February 1945. 1300 heavy bombers were used nearly 3/4 of the cities buildings were destroyed and 150,000 civilians were killed
Cologne - May 1942, first 1000 bomber raid Operation Millennium
Impact of Area Bombing
By the time war ended, an estimated 350,000 people had lost their lives.
Caused disaffection towards Nazis and may have brought an end to war closer
Some historians have argued that it helped unite ordinary Germans against the allies.
What was refugees during Germany at war and how were they created.
huge numbers of displaced Germans, especially towards end of war
Intensive British area bombing campaign from May 1942 onwards, targeted at industrial Ruhr region, created thousands of refugees as whole cities were flattened or burnt down.
During advance of Soviet army through eastern Germany in 1944 and 1945 much civilian population fled westwards to avoid brutality
End of war 8 million slave labourers and other displaced persons became refugees in side Germany, 11 million ethnic Germans were either refugees or had been expelled from countries surrounding Germany in the east.
What did Germany do to increase employment during World War 2
Women workers.
By 1944 40 percent of German women were in work.
Foreign workers
Nazis imported workers from occupied territories - estimated 8 million foreign workers in Germany by 1944
Slave Labour
Nazis used slave labour, mostly from Poland, to make up worker shortfall. There were 3-5 million slave labourers in Germany during war.
How did the Swing Youth oppose the Nazis
drank alcohol and danced to jazz music. Nazis rejected jazz as degenerate using racial ideas to oppose cultural development
Nazis attempt to close down meeting areas such as bars and clubs
How did the Edelweiss Pirates oppose the Nazis
Primary working class boys from regions in west of Germany, main youth opposition group during war
Attacked members of HJ and were fond of singing anti-Nazi songs. in 1942 over 700 were arrested
1944 12 members publicly hanged after members in Cologne killed Gestapo cheif
How did the White Rose oppose the Nazis
Students at Munich University in 1943 led by brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl
Published anti-Nazi leaflets e.g. on gassing of children
Leaders eventually arrested and sentenced to guillotine
What was Operation valkyrie
Plot to kill and overthrow Hitler
Why were some members of army becoming unhappy with Nazi leadership during war
By 1943, war going badly for Germany. Particularly in the east and the battle with the USSR
Who were the key members of Operation Valkyrie
General Ludwig Beck and Dr Carl Goerdeler (Beck Goerdeler group)
General Claus von Stauffenberg
What was the plan and why did it fail? (Operation Valkyrie)
Von Stauffenberg was to attend war cabinet meeting with Hitler. Intention was to use a bomb concealed in a suitcase and take control of Berlin after the war and negotiate peace. After von Stauffenberg left, someone moved suitcase away from Hitler. 4 died but Hitler survived
What were the consequences of the failed plot (Operation Valkyrie)
Leaders executed. Beck attempted suicide and was then shot
5,746 were executed after failure of July bomb plot
Reasons for the change of Jewish policy after 1939
As Germany invaded Poland and other territories in East. In excess of 3 million additional Jews came under Nazi control
Nazis decided need new measures to deal with Jewish people and Jewish Department was set up in government. Came up with sending Jews to Madagascar
British blockade of German ports and sheer numbers involved meant this wasn’t viable
What were the Einsatzgruppen
1939-42 death squads of SS soldiers followed behind wehrmacht as swept through Eastern Europe and shot Jews
Rounded up Jews in new territories and killed them often aided by collaborators
initially focused on rounding up and shooting men but this evolved to encompass all Jews after August 1941
Jews taken to execution sites with trenches already prepared, many cases victims forced to dig own graves
Estimates 2 million people murdered in this way by 1943
What were Ghettos?
Segregated areas where Jews forced to live. Would have been forced to leave their family homes at short notice
Nazis created at least 1000 ghettos across Eastern Europe
Jewish council nominally in control. Would receive preferential treatment
Largest ghetto was in Warsaw, 400,000 Jews forced into an area of 3.4km
Nazis used these ghettos for forced labour factories
Conditions were abysmal. There was overcrowding, lack of sanitation, lack of food and clothing. It was also extremely cold in the winter.
When and where was the meeting for the Final Solution to be decided
20th January 1942,
Wannsee suburb of Berlin
Who led the Final Solution meeting
Reinhard Heydrich the head of the SD
Hitler wasn’t present
What was agreed at the Final Solution meeting
All Jews under German occupation would be brought to Poland, where those fit enough would be worked to death and the rest exterminated.
Key camps
Auschwitz-Birkenau (Labour and Death Camp),
Treblinka,
Sobibor,
Belzec
Chelmo.
Actions of Death Camps
On arrival prisoners sorted into those deemed unfit for work and those that were
Those unfit for work sent to gas chambers. once inside executed using Gas called Zyklon B
Those deemed fit for work were used for forced labour - they worked to death or when unable to work sent to gas chambers
Consequences of the Death Camps
By May 1945 estimated six million Jews had been murdered by Nazis.
