Life on the Home Front - Rationing During WWI:
Life During WWII : 1939-1945 - Hitler keen not to repeat suffering on home front of WWI &
reluctantly agreed to some form of rationing (Aug 1939)
Background - Foreign Relations & WWII: Food, soap & textiles rationed
1939 - Per average worker per week: 500g meat (halved by 1945),
During 1930s - Hitler’s foreign policy = largely peaceful: 125g butter, 1 egg (not generous)
1936 - Germany re-militarised Rhineland, defied T of V with no Staple diet of Germans during war = rye bread, potatoes &
international opposition vegetables (more effect than in Britain)
1938 - Germany united with Austria, defied T of V again wit no Fresh food & fish rarely obtained
international opposition Shoes: work shoes only worn at work & regular home checks by Nazi
Autumn 1938 - Germany made agreement with Britain, France & officials to confiscate extra shoes
Italy to take over Sudetenland (given to Czechoslovakia in T of V)
Spring 1939 - Germany took over rest of Czechoslovakia; Britain &
Life on the Home Front - War Production:
France threatened to go to war if Germany attacked Poland
Sept 1939 - Germany made agreement with Soviet Union to divide
Summer 1940 - 50% German workers involved
up Poland; German army did not withdraw from Poland; Britain &
No of working women in heavy industry increased by 1/3 between
France declared war
1939 & 1941 (reversing key 1930s Nazi policies)
Dr Todt - placed in charge of production of armaments; killed in
During 1940s - Hitler’s foreign policy changes:
flying accident 1942
1940 - German army captured Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands,
Replaced by Albert Speer; streamlined war production & employed
Belgium & France using new tactic of blitzkrieg (combined air &
slave labour from prisoners of war & occupied territories
tank attack); by summer only Britain at war with Germany
1945 - 7 million non-Germans working in Germany
1941 - Turning point in war: Germany invaded Soviet Union in
1944 - war production improved BUT too late; Germany no match
summer but found hard to fight Russians in winter, setbacks in
for combined war productions of USSR, Britain & USA
North Africa where British army reinforced with USA troops
After 1941 - Germany constantly defensive & losing land
1944 - D-day opened up new Allied front where Germany was Life on the Home Front - Bombings:
attacked from
Early 1945 - Soviet army entered Germany in East & Allied forces Spring 1942 - British RAF able to mount heavier bombing raids
entered in West; remnants of German Army & Volksturm (People’s ‘thousand bomber’ attacks in May & June = widespread
Home Guard) failed to hold back invasion destruction
30th April 1945 - Hitler killed himself 1943 - RAF & US air force started severe bombing of the Ruhr
7th May 1945 - Unconditional surrender of German armed forces industrial area
signed Disastrous effect on war production
Luftwaffe had to deploy 70% fighter strength at a crucial stage
to combat threat
Life During WWII : 1939-1945 - Hitler keen not to repeat suffering on home front of WWI &
reluctantly agreed to some form of rationing (Aug 1939)
Background - Foreign Relations & WWII: Food, soap & textiles rationed
1939 - Per average worker per week: 500g meat (halved by 1945),
During 1930s - Hitler’s foreign policy = largely peaceful: 125g butter, 1 egg (not generous)
1936 - Germany re-militarised Rhineland, defied T of V with no Staple diet of Germans during war = rye bread, potatoes &
international opposition vegetables (more effect than in Britain)
1938 - Germany united with Austria, defied T of V again wit no Fresh food & fish rarely obtained
international opposition Shoes: work shoes only worn at work & regular home checks by Nazi
Autumn 1938 - Germany made agreement with Britain, France & officials to confiscate extra shoes
Italy to take over Sudetenland (given to Czechoslovakia in T of V)
Spring 1939 - Germany took over rest of Czechoslovakia; Britain &
Life on the Home Front - War Production:
France threatened to go to war if Germany attacked Poland
Sept 1939 - Germany made agreement with Soviet Union to divide
Summer 1940 - 50% German workers involved
up Poland; German army did not withdraw from Poland; Britain &
No of working women in heavy industry increased by 1/3 between
France declared war
1939 & 1941 (reversing key 1930s Nazi policies)
Dr Todt - placed in charge of production of armaments; killed in
During 1940s - Hitler’s foreign policy changes:
flying accident 1942
1940 - German army captured Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands,
Replaced by Albert Speer; streamlined war production & employed
Belgium & France using new tactic of blitzkrieg (combined air &
slave labour from prisoners of war & occupied territories
tank attack); by summer only Britain at war with Germany
1945 - 7 million non-Germans working in Germany
1941 - Turning point in war: Germany invaded Soviet Union in
1944 - war production improved BUT too late; Germany no match
summer but found hard to fight Russians in winter, setbacks in
for combined war productions of USSR, Britain & USA
North Africa where British army reinforced with USA troops
After 1941 - Germany constantly defensive & losing land
1944 - D-day opened up new Allied front where Germany was Life on the Home Front - Bombings:
attacked from
Early 1945 - Soviet army entered Germany in East & Allied forces Spring 1942 - British RAF able to mount heavier bombing raids
entered in West; remnants of German Army & Volksturm (People’s ‘thousand bomber’ attacks in May & June = widespread
Home Guard) failed to hold back invasion destruction
30th April 1945 - Hitler killed himself 1943 - RAF & US air force started severe bombing of the Ruhr
7th May 1945 - Unconditional surrender of German armed forces industrial area
signed Disastrous effect on war production
Luftwaffe had to deploy 70% fighter strength at a crucial stage
to combat threat
