2. THE DEFEAT OF THE GERMANS

Question 1

HOW DID GERMAN WEAKNESS CONTRIBUTE TO DEFEAT TO THE GERMANS

Answer 1

• Hitlers strategy was based on on securing rapid victory, once this failed odds were against Germany
• from December 1941, Germany had to fight a two front war
• Germans lacked self sufficiency in raw materials by 1943-44 resources became a problem
• Hitler made crucial strategic mistakes, replacing experienced generals with yes men
• harsh German repression in occupied countries increased resistance movements and partisans

Question 2

HOW DID SOVIET STRENGTHS CONTRIBUTE TO DEFEAT FOR THE GERMANS

Answer 2

• USSRS vast geographical size
• German supply lines stretched too far by the end of 1941
• the size of the USSR enabled whole new armies and a whole new industrial base to be built up in the east beyond Germanys reach
• population size 3x Germanys
• natural resource wealth (such as oil): from 1942 the USSR could out produce German war industries
• the soviet command economy, well suited to total war and the emergency mobilisation of workers and resource
• military leadership after a bad start Stalins Stavka became ruthlessly effective
• propaganda and patriotism motivated the armed forces and civilians to fight and endure (for example 4 million people volunteered for citicens defense in 1941)

Question 3

HOW DID CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SOVIET ALLIES CONTRIBTE TO GERMAN DEFENSE

Answer 3

• Stalins allies meant Hitler was fighting on two fronts
• mass bombing campaigns by british and americans inflicted huge damage on germans war effort
• allied secret intelliegence, gained by code breaking undermined germanys war effort at crucial times
• enormous amounts of military and economic aid poured into the ussr

Question 4

WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF VICTORY FOR THE USSR

Answer 4

• Ussr became a superpower- war weakened other European powers
• communist ideology was vindicated- communism was seen to defeat fascism
• Stalin was held up as the USSR’s saviour
• massive territorial gains of Ussr, baltic states established in eastern european countries
• devastating costs for Ussr- 20 mil soviet citizens killed as well as economy and infrastructure
• cold war tensions developed- Stalin feared USA influence, disagreements over future of Germany

Question 5

WHAT PROBLEMS DID THE SOVIETS HAVE IN ADJUSTING BACK TO PEACETIME CONDITIONS

Answer 5

• 1945, mining production, electricity generation and steel production were around half of 1940 levels
• the transport infrastructure was badly disrupted
• workforce exhausted, and depleted by wartime sacrifices
• end of foreign aid added pressures on industry
• high investments in military production as result of cold war meant less investment in other areas

Question 6

HOW WAS THE INDUSTRIAL RECOVERY RAPID AND SUCESSFUL DUE TO THE 4TH 5YP

Answer 6

• many of the plans targets were exceeded or met. e.g more coal, oil, steel, cement and electricity were all being produced in 1950 compared to 1940
• before 1950, ukraines industrial out put was also higher than before the war
• there was also some improved production of consumer goods under the 4th 5yp.
• in 1948 average soviet incomes were back to 1938 levels

Question 7

WHAT WERE THE REASONS FOR RAPID RECOVERY

Answer 7

• War reparations transferred masses of material from germany to the ussr
• central planning was able to enforce the mass mobilisation of people and resources
• the people were proud of the ussr’s victory and willing to make further sacrifices
• a rebound effect- recovery from a low base enabled rapid rebuilding of essential services

Question 8

WHAT WERE THE CAHLLENGES AGRICULTURE FACED IN 1945

Answer 8

• large numbers of farms had been destroyed in the war (98,000 collective farms were ruined according to official statistics)
• large quantities of farm machinery had been destroyed and livestock numbers were also seriously depleted
• food production in 1945 was at 60% of 1940 levels
• death and injuries from war meant a major shortage of farming labour
• 1946 was also the driest year since 1891 and famine hit parts of Ukraine and central Russia in 1946-47, killing and estimated 1.5 million people

Question 9

WHAT EVIDENCE SHOWS AGRICULTURE WAS SLOW

Answer 9

• the 4th 5yp brpught some increases but failed to meet most of its targets
• fammine in 1946-7 higlighted serious agriculture problems
• ## staalins writings on the soviet economy blocked reform in agriculture