IMPACT OF THE WAR Flashcards

1
Q

WHAT was allocation of food rations based on in Nazi Germany?

A

Age, occupation and race

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

WHEN was rationing first introduced in Germany?

A

August 1939, before the war started

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

WHY was the Nazi regime reluctant to cut civilian consumption too much?

A

Heavy rationing and shortages during WW1 were key reasons for civilian war-weariness in Germany 1917-18

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Comparatively, what level was consumption at in Germany at the start of WW2?

A

Civilian consumption was cut more in Germany than in Britain. However, there were no serious shortages from 1939-41.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

WHEN did serious food shortages start to appear in Germany during WW2?

A

After the invasion of the Soviet Union (1941). Many were experiencing malnutrition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

WHAT is the definition of ‘Blitzkrieg’?

A

Literally ‘lightning war.’ A military tactic which involved a series of quick and decisive battles, targeting an enemy state before it could fully mobilize. It was used fairly successfully by the German army from 1939-41.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

WHAT was public mood like during the first 21 months of the war (before the invasion of USSR)?

A
  • Public mood was volatile and propaganda was not always effective in lifting morale
  • The victories were a cause for celebration, and Hitler took the credit for military successes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

HOW MANY speeches did Hitler make from January 1940 to June 1941?

A

A total of 9 major speeches, all broadcast on the radio

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

HOW was propaganda used from 1939 to end of 1941?

A
  • Initially it was optimistic and it led people to believe that the war would be over soon
  • Scapegoats were used to explain the spreading of the war (e.g. the British/Soviets/Americans, as well as the idea of a Jewish international conspiracy)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

WHEN did Germany invade the USSR?

A

June 1941

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

WHEN did Germany declare war on the USA?

A

December 1941

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

HOW did the declaration of war against the USA affect German civilian morale?

A

It disappointed some Germans who had believed that the war would be over soon.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

WHAT was public mood like in 1941 (immediatley after invasion of USSR)?

A
  • Some optimism after initial defeat of Red Army, but there were reports of fears that the war would be long
  • Letters home from soldiers undermined Nazi propaganda about Germany’s success
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

WHEN did the Nazis start to do less favourably during WW2?

A

1942 onwards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

WHAT was public mood like in 1942 (as German losses increased in the USSR)?

A
  • Civilians were awakened to reality through rising casualty figures and pessimistic letters home
  • Scepticism about propaganda increased
  • Hitler myth began to lose some of its potency, but an SD report still stated that ‘faith in the Fuhrer was unshakeable’
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

WHAT is an example of the Nazis attempting to boost civilian morale as the war turned against them?

A

During the Christmas of 1942, the Nazis introduced extra food rations to help boost morale.

17
Q

WHEN was the defeat at Stalingrad?

A

January 1943

18
Q

WHAT was Stalingrad?

A
  • A major battle between Germany and the USSR, where Germany suffered a great defeat in January 1943.
  • It was one of the largest and costliest urban battles in the entirety of history.
19
Q

WHY was the defeat at Stalingrad such a turning point for German civilian morale?

A
  • Propaganda had concealed the truth, building up unrealistic expectations of a German victory.
  • The public were shocked when news of the defeat broke, and propaganda started to lose its hold on the people.
20
Q

WHEN did Goebbels declare that Germany was engaged in ‘Total War’?

A

February 1943

21
Q

WHEN did bombings start in Germany?

A

March 1942, and they increased in 1943

22
Q

HOW did the bombings effect public mood in Germany?

A
  • Initially, police and SD reports spoke of civilians’ resilience and continued support
  • Personal reports disagree with this optimistic sentiment
  • Growing exhaustion from shortages, sustained terror and loss of sleep from the bombings night and day.
23
Q

HOW MANY German civilians were killed in air rades during the war?

A

Estimates are between 300,000 and 600,000

24
Q

HOW were defeatist views combatted from 1942-1945?

A
  • Defeatist views started to be repressed by the regime
  • Goebbels spoke of retaliation with secret weapons to combat pessimistic views
25
Q

WHAT did the civilians of the German Reich do in the final months of the war?

A

Milions of Germans across eastern Europe were forced to walk hundreds of miles eastwards facing cold, hunger and disease

26
Q

WHAT was public mood like at the end of the war?

A
  • There were huge losses from the marches and many were left homeless
  • Civilian population was exhausted, but there were few signs of outward resistance or rebellion.
27
Q

HOW MANY Germans in eastern territories are thought to have died on marches at the end of the war?

A

500,000 to 1,000,000

28
Q

WHAT was public reaction to the fall of the Nazi regime?

A

The final collapse of the Nazi regime was quick and the general population reacted passively to it.

29
Q

HOW did the war impact the elite’s view towards the Nazi regime?

A

Most of the elite were involved in the army and so knew the reality of the war, causing them to lose faith in Hitler.

30
Q

WHAT are some examples of reasons why the elite opposed Nazism during the war?

A
  • Moral conviction
  • Patriotism (believed Hitler was leading Germany into destruction)
  • Many believed in personal freedom and individual responsibility
31
Q

HOW did the war impact workers?

A
  • Wage reductions (that were later changed back to the normal level)
  • Increased hours
  • Increased pressure on workers to produce more due to new pay system proportional to production
32
Q

By WHAT year was half of the German workforce women?

A

1944

33
Q

HOW did Nazi policy toward women working in industry change during the war?

A

1) Initially, women working in industry were discouraged
2) By 1943 Hitler had to abandon ideology and started to force women into employment.
3) All restrictions were gone by 1944
4) By the end of the war, women became involved in the military as well.

34
Q

HOW were the Hitler Youth impacted by the war?

A
  • At first, activities continued as usual
  • They helped collect for the Winter Aid programme
  • Military training camps were set up with the Hitler Youth
35
Q

HOW did the age of conscription change during the war?

A

1940: 19 y/o
1941: 18 y/o
1943: 17 y/o
1945: 16 y/o