Economic Warfare

Where did 1/3 of German grain supply disappear too?

Farmers hoarded it

In Germany the total civilian population lost…

half a million tons of human mass

Offer (1991)

The German people were often cold and hungry, but whatever their complaints Germany did not starve

how much did the mark lose its value?

1/3 compared to the US dollar

What did US propaganda do to overcome issues with food?

Play up the nutritional value of non-meat items

What non-war related event majorly warps mortality statistics?

1918 Spanish Flu

Wall and Winter (1988)

the Allies succeeded in creating a system, which sustained both mass armies and the populations from which they were drawn and supplied

How much greater was Britain’s oversea’s capita than Germany’s?

3 times

How many German assets were seized under the Alien Enemies Ordinances?

60%

If the Allies had really been that much better equipped…

the war would have ended in winter 1917

What was the allies biggest economic blunder of the war?

arsenal at Roanne cost 103 million francs but only produce 15 million francs

How did unrestricted submarine warfare impact neutral countries?

Fears saw them refusing to transport goods for allies

What did the Hindenburg programme demand?

all available resources be used to increase armament output

In German colonial territories …

local colonial governments took over because of limited communication with Berlin

12 million tins of meat were shipped…

from Eritrea to Italy

What was the key structural weakness in the tsarist economy?

Branches of organisation in their infancy

By 1917 production on Russia non-military goods were…

2/3’s of their pre-war total

What did Russia VPK’s never secure?

Position in Anglo-Russian purchasing committee

How many Germans died of hunger related illness>

478,000 and 800,000 civilians

Give an example of a munitions substitute

saltpetre from Chile replaced by phosphates and potassium

What three main factors squeezed German export potential?

War with trading partners

Blockade

Little capacity after providing for armed forces

Dr Phillip, Deputy of DNVP to Reich in 1927

food position in Germany was in every respect fearful ever since 1916 but not so bad to justify suddenly abandoning the war

Kramer (2015)

Allied economic warfare meant securing access to global resources

How does Boff define a total war?

Winning by all means necessary, victory goes to those who invest in every aspect

Name 3 ways money can be used as a weapon?

Managing resources

Allocating resources

Cutting of enemy from their resources

Why did Norway and Sweden stop trading with Germany?

Had been promised shares in food from Ukraine

Give a statistic to support that Germany going to war with its main traders was detrimental

5.7 of each 10 million marks of German pre-war exports went to nations they were now at war with

State two facts about German pre-war meat consumption

Not a healthy amount

Not maintainable in wartime

What did Ethel Cooper (Australian in Leipzig) observe?

Most people complain of being undernourished - probably the average German accustomed to very fatty foods and much beer

How much of Sierra Leone did Germany lose?

80%

What was the biggest advantage having colonial assets granted the allies?

Flexibility to respond to shortages

Why was Russian strong agricultural position in 1914 not actually that helpful?

Poor transport networks

Had no room to grow/change

Why was German production limited despite having substitute goods?

Poorer in quality

Give a non-economic purpose of the Roanne arsenal

Place pressure on private munitions industry

Ferguson (1998)

German authorities mobilised their economy more efficiently than the Western powers

Why should one be dubious of Fergusons views

Uses unusual measures eg British productivity held up well

Name one non-stuff related way American used money

Federal reserve put out warnings about buying from Britain to exert pressure for negotiated peace

Why was American and British spending so different?

Britain more invested in navy which has less casualties

USA had capacity to produce vast number of good which weren’t used…

but still had massive psychological impact