Summary 12 - Mobilising Germany's economy for war Flashcards
When did Germany begin preparing for war?
1936
When was the ‘Decree for the Conversion of the whole German economy onto a War Footing’ issued?
3rd September 1939
When was the German economy fully mobilised?
1942
Were there any major shortages in Germany between 1939 and 1941?
There were no major shortages in Germany between 1939 and 1941.
German forces did become more stretched in the Mediterranean.
When did supply problems start to hinder the German war effort?
After the invasion of Russia
Why did Germany encounter supply problems after the invasion of Russia.
Hitler had assumed that war would not have been necessary until the invasion of Russia in 1941, he assumed that Britain and France would have allowed him to invade Poland.
This meant that the process of full scale rearmament had not fully been completed.
When was the expansion of the Luftwaffe set to be completed?
In 1942
When was the expansion of the navy expected to be completed?
By 1944 / 1945
Why was the outbreak of war in 1939 a surprise to the Nazis?
The four year plan was to build up the production of raw materials (iron/steel).
Full scale armament manufacture was not scheduled to begin until 1939.
Why did the supply of weapons only slowly increase despite an increase in the percentage of the workforce that worked in armaments production?
Different branches of the armed forces demanded the development and manufacture of very specific weapons. It would have been quicker and more efficient to supply more standardised weapons.
What percentage of the workforce worked in the production of armaments in 1939?
This had increased to what percentage in January 1941?
22% in September 1939
55% in January 1941
Who was in charge of the Four Year Plan?
Goering
How successful was Goering as an economic leader?
Goering was not a successful economic leader. He had poor relationships with military chiefs and industrialists. Furthermore, he was incapable of providing the centralised coordination that the war economy needed.
When was Goering removed as a leading figure within the wartime economy and who was he replaced by?
Goering was replaced by Albert Speer.
Albert Speer was appointed Armaments Minister in 1942.
Hitler removed Goering partly because of the failures of the Luftwaffe. Describe some of these failings?
The Luftwaffe failed to stop the evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk.
The Luftwaffe failed to defeat the RAF in the Battle of Britain which meant that Hitler could not launch an invasion of Britain.
The Luftwaffe was unable to stop the Allied bombing.
