Matilda Plambeck
16.5.20
Germany at war: The Home Front 1939-1945
1. The outbreak of WW2 led to rationing being introduced in 1939,
although
some ate better than before the start of the war, the menu was
very monotonous. By November 1939 clothes, hot water and
soap had to be rationed, as well as tobacco being very scarce.
Despite all of this, the first year of the war went well for
Germany, leading to luxuries being imported from defeated
countries such as France.
2. During WW2, despite the invasion of North Africa and the USSR,
life got
harder for the Nazi’s in 1941. The war became very hard for
Germany after the invasion of the USSR as thousands were
wounded and died in the cold, as Winston Churchill put it: the
Russian forces “tore the heart out of Germany.” Civilians had to
cut back on heating, work longer hours and recycle their rubbish.
In Goebbels effort to maintain the support of the people he
encouraged donating to the army, so that 1.5 million fur coats
ended up being donated to the clothe the German army in
Russia. Hitler’s speeches also ceased, with the only speeches
people heard were old ones.
3. In 1943 the Nazi’s had to withdraw from the USSR and were
beaten in North
Africa, as well as the British Air Force bombing the German towns
AND Italy surrendering. Hitler had adopted “Total War” which
meant that all of German society was geared towards war, there
was no professional sport, magazines and all non-essential
businesses were closed with no civilian clothing was made.
Despite the obvious fact that the war wasn’t going well for the
Nazis, propaganda was expanded with no expense spared, which
led to only cinemas remaining open in order for civilians to be
shown propaganda films. There was a lack of workers, so women,
Jewish and political prisoners and foreigners (particularly from
Russia and Poland) were used as labour. German people also
faced air raids, evacuations and a huge shortage of doctors.
4. By 1944, things REALLY weren’t going well for the Nazis: The
allies were pushing back, servants had to go into arms services,
music halls were closed, and postal services were reduced to
save fuel. Compulsory labour for women under the 50 and the
Home Guard was formed (older men). Germans faced air raids
by the British, 150 000 civilians were killed in Dresden. By 1945,
German Government administration couldn’t cope: rationing
collapsed, and the black market grew massively. In May 1945,
16.5.20
Germany at war: The Home Front 1939-1945
1. The outbreak of WW2 led to rationing being introduced in 1939,
although
some ate better than before the start of the war, the menu was
very monotonous. By November 1939 clothes, hot water and
soap had to be rationed, as well as tobacco being very scarce.
Despite all of this, the first year of the war went well for
Germany, leading to luxuries being imported from defeated
countries such as France.
2. During WW2, despite the invasion of North Africa and the USSR,
life got
harder for the Nazi’s in 1941. The war became very hard for
Germany after the invasion of the USSR as thousands were
wounded and died in the cold, as Winston Churchill put it: the
Russian forces “tore the heart out of Germany.” Civilians had to
cut back on heating, work longer hours and recycle their rubbish.
In Goebbels effort to maintain the support of the people he
encouraged donating to the army, so that 1.5 million fur coats
ended up being donated to the clothe the German army in
Russia. Hitler’s speeches also ceased, with the only speeches
people heard were old ones.
3. In 1943 the Nazi’s had to withdraw from the USSR and were
beaten in North
Africa, as well as the British Air Force bombing the German towns
AND Italy surrendering. Hitler had adopted “Total War” which
meant that all of German society was geared towards war, there
was no professional sport, magazines and all non-essential
businesses were closed with no civilian clothing was made.
Despite the obvious fact that the war wasn’t going well for the
Nazis, propaganda was expanded with no expense spared, which
led to only cinemas remaining open in order for civilians to be
shown propaganda films. There was a lack of workers, so women,
Jewish and political prisoners and foreigners (particularly from
Russia and Poland) were used as labour. German people also
faced air raids, evacuations and a huge shortage of doctors.
4. By 1944, things REALLY weren’t going well for the Nazis: The
allies were pushing back, servants had to go into arms services,
music halls were closed, and postal services were reduced to
save fuel. Compulsory labour for women under the 50 and the
Home Guard was formed (older men). Germans faced air raids
by the British, 150 000 civilians were killed in Dresden. By 1945,
German Government administration couldn’t cope: rationing
collapsed, and the black market grew massively. In May 1945,
