Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Impact of War
on the German
People
- Morale and mood of the public
- - People were not as
patriotic as with WW1
- - Lacked enthusiasm, no cheering
- These didn't meet Hitlers expectations
- Even early victories didn't lift morale much
- October 1939-September 1940
- Rapid defeat of Poland, Norway,
Denmark, Holland, Belgium did
evoke some celebration though
- Severe winter: coal shortages,
partial breakdown of railway
- Refusal of GB to make peace
- Air Raids from GB began
- Abandoned plan to invade GB
- People were frustrated
- Invasion of the USSR
- SD Reports: People still depressed
- Concerned that others are being treated better than some
- Minimum food
- Aware that the Russians are tough
- Events: June 1941: Invasion of the Soviet Union - Failed to achieve a quick victory
- November 1941: German Army had pushed Soviet Forces
back
- 5th December 1941: Red
Army launched a counter
attack- forced German army
back
- 11th December: War on the US.
- 19th December: Army Commander
in Chief dismissed for failures of
German Army
- January 1942: An SD report: confidence beginning to erode
- Summer 1942: Victories against British
- Autumn 1942: German and Italian forces defeated in N. Africa
- January 1943: German
forces surrounded and had
to surrender at Stalingrad
- February 1943: 'Total War'
- Propaganda
- Depicted the soldiers as
well equipped: Why would
they ask for winter supplies?
- It confirmed what the returning
soldiers had said
- Impact of the war
- Workers:
- More men had to be
conscripted, though full scale
conscription not implemented
in the first two years
- Efficient use of workers
- Reduction of workers in consumer goods
- Rise in numbers employed in munitions
- Non essential workers released to military
- Increase in production of armaments
- Had to use avalble people and foreign workers:
- 'Decree on the Conversion of the whole German Economy onto a war footing'
- Wage reductions, no overtime pay, but it wasn't popular so it had to be resorted in October 1939
- Women
- Queueing for food
was common
- 1936-7, Regime modified position
towards women
- Pressure to be employed in industry
- Hitler refused to employ more women in 1940
- Married women with kids encouraged to
leave employment
- Women in work declined 39-41: 2.3 Million (39) 2.2 Million (41)
- September 1939: 6,400,000 women in work
- Made up 27% of the industrial labour force
- Mobilised by the NS-F
to harvest, prepare food
parcels and home
evacuated kids
- NS- F taught women how to cope with wartime
- Working hours
increased
- Incentives for families with conscripted men
- Youth
- Early stages of war: Not necessary to conscript young to help with war work yet
- HJ activities continued: future
soldiers so more emphasis on
military
- Shooting and excercises
- BDM and HJ compulsory 1939
- Expected to help with 'Winter Aid'
- Set up camps- requistioned hotels for evacuees
- Evacuation of children began in September 1940
- Not compulsory but hard to opt-out of
- Indoctrination was high prority