The Impact of War on the Nazi Economy (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Natasha Smith
How damaging was the Second World War to the Nazi economy? - Summary
Before the Second World War, the Nazis put a lot of effort into strengthening the German economy. Hitler’s government introduced the Four Year Plans, which aimed to make Germany achieve autarky. Although Germany made progress, it was not self-sufficient and needed to import some key resources, especially oil.
When the Second World War began, the German economy was not ready for the massive demands of war. Germany had to produce huge amounts of weapons, tanks and planes, which put a strain on its industries. The Nazis introduced policies like rationing so more resources could go to the military. When it became clear that these measures were not enough to win the war. the Nazi government declared a policy of total war. However, as the war dragged on, it became harder for Germany to keep up with the needs of its army, and the economy began to collapse.
The impact of the war on the Nazi economy grew even worse with the aerial bombings by the Allies. British and American planes heavily bombed German cities, destroying factories, transportation systems and supplies. This made it very difficult for Germany to keep producing the materials needed for the war. These bombings badly damaged the economy, and many civilians suffered from food shortages and loss of homes.
By the end of the war in 1945, the Nazi economy was in ruins. There was massive destruction in cities, a lack of resources, and a defeated military. The Second World War left Germany economically devastated and in need of rebuilding.
Rationing in Nazi Germany
As soon as war was declared in September 1939, the demand to equip and feed soldiers impacted the Nazi economy
The government began rationing its citizens to meet this demand
Reasonable rationing began in November 1939. This including:
clothing
certain food items such as eggs
As the war progressed, rationing became more extreme
By 1944, German citizens ate
20% less bread
60% less meat
40% less fat
Shortages included:
soap
toilet paper
Hot water was rationed to two days per week
The concept of Total War
Total War had a significant impact on the Nazi economy
What does Total War mean?
Total War was the idea that every person, including citizens, had to participate in the war effort
All parts of society and the economy were solely focused on war
As civilians were helping with the war effort, they could also be targeted in attacks
Total War in Nazi Germany
Only by 1942 had Albert Speer, the new Minister of Armaments and War Production, switched Germany to a war economy
Speer:
stopped everything that did not contribute to the war effort such as beer halls
increased the number of workers
opened factories for longer
Impact of the Speer's policies
Albert Speer made improvements to the economy by 1943
Speer had increased the production of:
armaments by 50%
guns by 27%
ammunition by 97%
However, by this stage of the war, it was too late to make a significant difference
During Operation Barbarossa, Germany did not have enough supplies
This meant that they could not use blitzkrieg tactics properly against the USSR
The invasion of the USSR ended in defeat for Germany at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943
Labour shortages in Nazi Germany
As many men were serving in the Army, Germany had a lack of workers
Nazi policies had encouraged women not to work
Minorities such as Jewish people had been forced out of the workplace
Labour shortages had a significant impact on the German war effort
Germany had shortages in fuel, coal and food
It did not have enough workers to make vital products
Germany relied on plundering from occupied countries to supply their citizens with resources
Under Total War:
women were drafted back to the workplace
enslaved labour in ghettos and concentration camps was used
By 1944, one-quarter of Germany's workforce was enslaved
Worked Example
Describe two problems with the Nazi economy during the Second World War
[4 marks]
Answer
One problem with the Nazi war economy was the labour shortage (1). This was a problem because Germany had shortages in fuel, coal and food and no workers to make necessary products (1).
Another issue with the Nazi war economy was it was not developed until 1942 (1). This was a problem because it was impacting the war effort as soldiers did not have enough supplies to win key battles such as Operation Barbarossa (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In a 'Describe two' question, you need to provide two points about the issue outlined in the question. For each part, you should:
identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1)
In the example, one point could be about the impact of aerial bombing.
describe - add relevant specific information about the point you have made (1)
In the example, you could state that bombing destroyed key infrastructure needed for the war effort.
Our exam skills pages give further guidance and advice on the 'Describe' question
Bombings & refugees in Nazi Germany
By 1942, all areas of society felt the impact of war
One major impact of Total War was British aerial bombings of cities across Germany
Aerial bombings caused:
the destruction of infrastructure, impacting:
electricity
water
transportation
the destruction of homes
the evacuation of children to the countryside
displacement
Thousands of people left their homes, becoming refugees
high civilian casualties
A bombing raid in Dresden in February 1945 killed 150,000 citizens
Worked Example
Read Interpretations A and B.
How does Interpretation B differ from Interpretation A about the reasons for the failure of the Nazi economy in the Second World War?
Explain your answer based on what it says in Interpretations A and B
[4 marks]
Interpretation A - "The Surreal Reich" written by Joseph Howard Tyson, 2010
'Hitler's economic stimulus package had one overriding concern: German rearmament. Goering proved himself an able expeditor and manager, but he could not work miracles. Hitler's aggressive foreign policy upset everyone's timetable by provoking war more than a year before the Four Year Plan's goals could be realised.'
Interpretation B - An autobiography called "Inside the Third Reich", published in 1970 by Albert Speer.
Albert Speer took over for Hermann Goering as the Nazi Minister of Armaments from 1942 to 1945
'The well-conceived economic plan of the Armaments Office... was never carried out. But as I had already realised by then, Goering did nothing about these problems. Whenever he did do anything, he usually created total confusion, since he never took the trouble to work through the problems.'
Answer
Interpretation A highlights the blame for the failure of the Nazi economy should be placed on Hitler. It states "Hitler's aggressive foreign policy upset everyone's timetable" (1). Hitler began the Second World War in 1939 when Goering's Four Year Plans were not due to end until 1940 (1).
Interpretation B differs because it places more of the blame on Goering. B states that "Goering did nothing about these problems" (1). By 1942, Germany's economy had not changed to a war economy despite severe shortages on the frontline (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
To answer a "How are the interpretations different" question well, you need to:
identify a clear difference between the two interpretations
include a short quote or summary from each interpretation, highlighting their differences
explain how they are different
Our exam skills pages give further guidance and advice on comparing interpretations questions
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