The impact of the war on Nazi Germany

Flashcards about the impact of WWII on Nazi Germany

What was the general public feeling in Germany at the start of World War II?

Resigned and apprehensive, not patriotic frenzy.

What German strategy led to early successes in the war?

Blitzkrieg.

What was the impact of early war victories on German popular opinion?

Dispelled doubts and created a sense of triumph.

What event highlighted Hitler's dominance in Europe?

Conquest of France and other countries.

Why was the Battle of Britain significant for Germany?

Germany failed to secure air superiority.

What was Operation Barbarossa?

Hitler's plan to invade the USSR.

What was the initial outcome of Operation Barbarossa?

Rapid occupation of Russian territory and capture of prisoners.

When did the German military advance halt in the USSR?

December 1941.

What two events turned the tide against Germany by the end of 1941?

Failure to take Moscow and Pearl Harbor attack.

What two major offensives failed in the winter of 1942-43?

Stalingrad and North Africa.

What was the significance of the defeat at Stalingrad?

Beginning of the Soviet counter-offensive.

What was the status of the Nazi economy in 1939?

Not ready for a major war.

What measure was introduced early in the war due to economic constraints?

Rationing.

How were German food rations between 1939-41?

Adequate and above minimum calorific standard.

What happened to rationing after the invasion of the Soviet Union?

More controls and reduced rations.

How did the trade in consumer goods fare during the war?

Struggled from the start.

What thrived due to high demand and limited supply of goods?

The black market.

What did the Nazis do to boost morale and productivity?

Re-introduced bonus and overtime payments.

What event was a strategic disaster and damaging blow to German confidence?

The surrender at Stalingrad.

Who was tasked with persuading Germans to accept sacrifices?

Joseph Goebbels.

What did Joseph Goebbels focus on after 1943?

Showing the country defiantly pulling together.

What film was made in 1944 to rally the nation?

Kolberg.

What did SD reports reveal regarding popular reactions to the war?

Considerable nervousness.

What was the public mood at the start of the war?

Reluctant loyalty and hope for a quick end.

When did war-weariness become much more evident?

After the defeat at Stalingrad in January 1943.

What did an SD report highlight about the nation's cynicism after Stalingrad?

Increased vulgar jokes against the state and the Fuhrer.

What type of propaganda did Goebbels' ministry focus on?

Intensely negative propaganda against the Allies.

What was the 'Germany against Bolshevism' campaign?

Anti-Bolshevik and Antisemitic propaganda on the Eastern Front.

When did propaganda gradually begin to lose its effectiveness?

1942, as the tide began to turn.

What was the German people encouraged to do through propaganda?

Make a greater contribution to the war effort.

What did the peasantry feel during the war?

Increasingly disillusioned and sacrificed to the urban majority.

Who were people more inclined to blame when things went wrong?

The Nazi Party.

What intensified civilian hardship after 1943?

Allied bombing.

What was the impact of Allied bombing on people's confidence?

It collapsed despite Goebbels' calls for resistance.

What happened to German society as the war progressed?

Became more atomised and resembled a kicked-in anthill.

How many children had been evacuated by 1940?

Possibly as many as 2 million.

What was one criticism of the Nazi regime regarding bombing?

Failure to protect German cities or its inhabitants.

What was the consequence of people moving out of bombed cities?

Serious labour shortages.

How many Germans were held in camps by 1945?

Half a million.

What did German refugees find by the end of 1944?

A society in disintegration.

What was the impact of war on Germany's supply of men?

Serious strain, needed in the army and workplace.

What did the Nazi regime do to resolve labor demands?

Drew up a register of labor and directed labor to where it was most needed.

How did the German regime add to its labor force?

Drafting in foreign workers and using prisoners of war.

What was the Volkssturm?

People's army, total mobilization of German society.

Who took over the economy in 1942?

Albert Speer.

What did Albert Speer do to increase output?

Employed more women and made effective use of concentration camp prisoners.

How did Allied bombing affect war production despite Speer's efforts?

Caused industrial destruction and breakdown in communications.

When did Hitler issue decrees for war work registration?

January 27, 1943.

What was a major impact of the war on young people?

Decline in education and academic standards.

What was the age of military service reduced to in 1945?

16.