The War Economy, incl the Roles of Speer and Todt, the Start of Total War Flashcards

1
Q

What helped lead to the tactic of Blitzkrieg

A

the failure of the four-year plan too reach its targets forced the got to rely on plundering conquered countries in Blitzkrieg

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2
Q

Which countries adapted to Toral War demands much quicker than G?

A

Britain and uSSR

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3
Q

When was Total War economy

A

1941-45

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4
Q

What did Hitler’s series of war Decrees Dec 1939 do?

A

outlined vast programmes for every possible aspect of war production eg. submarines and aircraft, suggesting that Nazis went well beyond demand of Blitzkrieg and a limited war

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5
Q

When did Hitler issue a series of war decrees?

A

Dec 1941

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6
Q

In real terms, German military expenditure doubled from —

A

1939-41

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7
Q

When was Todt Minister for Armaments?

A

1940-42

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8
Q

What org did Todt help found that helped organise workers and engineers in construction?

A

Nationalist Socialist Union of German Engineering

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9
Q

What was the Todt Org, (in a sent)?

A

a Third Reich civil and military engineering group named after its Founder Todt

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10
Q

What did the Todt Organisation do?

A

Responsible for huge engineering projects in Germany and occupied territories during war

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11
Q

What did the Todt Organisation create (2 egs)

A

Siegfried Line and Atlantic Wall

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12
Q

What did the Todt Organisation become notorious for? (stat)

A

Using forced labour
From 1940-42, overall only 1% workers were Gs rejected from military and the rest POWs and compulsory labourers from conquered countries

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13
Q

How was forced labour people treated in the Todt Organisation?

A

Effectively treated as slaves to work for Ruthless totalitarian state.
Survival rates were low

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14
Q

When was Todt given responsibility for restoring the road and rail system in the USSR?

A

1941

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15
Q

What was Todt given responsibility for restoring in the USSR 1941?

A

Road and rail system

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16
Q

Todt was a

A

technocrat

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17
Q

What was Todt’s ‘Speaker System’?

A

A program of technocratic lectures began in 1941

18
Q

What did Todt call his program of technocratic lectures?

A

‘Speaker System’

19
Q

What did Todt caution Hitler about in 1941?

A

Not to go to War w most technologically innovative and powerful country in the world, the USA

20
Q

When was Todt killed in a plane explosion?

A

February 1942

21
Q

Who succeeded Todt as Minister for armaments in 1942?

A

Albert Speer

22
Q

At the outbreak of war, economic planning was shared by rival orgs(3)…

A
  • office 4year Plan under Goring
  • Minister of Economics Walther Funk
  • General Thomas who led the Econ section of the ministry of war
23
Q

When did Speer establish the ‘Central Planning Board’?

A

1942

24
Q

What was the function of Speer’s Central Planning Board of 1942

A
  • first attempt economic rationalisation

- oversaw every major sector of econ

25
Q

——— increased under Speer (spec pt.)

A

Production rates

26
Q

When did German weapons production triple?

A

1942-44

27
Q

Within 6mts Speer in charge, ammunitions production rose by

A

97%

28
Q

W/in 6mts Speer in charge, tank production rose by

A

25%

29
Q

w/in 6mts Speer in charge, total arms production rose by

A

59%

30
Q

What four big changes did `Speer make to increase production rates?

A
  • modern methods of mass production
  • working pattern changes of three shifts a day
  • extended use conc.camp labour
  • changed Nazi position on women in the workforce
31
Q

Economy dramatically expanded under Todt then Speer by what year

A

1944

32
Q

Under Todt then Speer, ammunition production increased

A

sixfold

33
Q

Where was Speer unable to exercise complete control?

A

not always able to conquer Gauleiters at a local level

34
Q

which org, operated their own law in conquered lands, weakening the wartime economy

A

SS

35
Q

How did Allied Bombing affect the wartime economy?

A

Forced diversion of 2mil men into anti-aircraft service, putting increasing strain on Econ esp after 1943

36
Q

What at end war seriously restricted G production

A

Aliied Economic Blockade

37
Q

USSR and USA by what year easily outstripped G in armaments production?

A

1944

38
Q

German aircraft —- below target

A

31%

39
Q

Tank production — below target level

A

35%

40
Q

Why did absenteeism reach 25% near end war?

A

illnesss, stress and dislocation from enemy action

41
Q

What levels did absenteeism reach end war?

A

Rife, 25%