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Military production during World War II

Women metalworkers during the siege of Leningrad
Russian women working in city factory at the height of the Siege of Leningrad
Assembly line of Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6s fighters in a German aircraft factory
Indian workers check new fuel tanks at the Hindustan Aircraft Factory in Bangalore, 1944

Military production during World War II was the production or mobilization of arms, ammunition, personnel and financing by the belligerents of the war, from the occupation of Austria in early 1938 to the surrender and occupation of Japan in late 1945.

The mobilization of funds, people, natural resources and material for the production and supply of military equipment and military forces during World War II was a critical component of the war effort. During the conflict, the Allies outpaced the Axis powers in most production categories. Access to the funding and industrial resources necessary to sustain the war effort was linked to their respective economic and political alliances.

Historical context

During the 1930s, political forces in Germany increased their financial investment in the military to develop the armed forces required to support near and long-term political and territorial goals. Germany's economic, scientific, research, and industrial capabilities were one of the most technically advanced in the world at the time, supporting a rapidly growing, innovative military. However, access to (and control of) the resources and production capacity required to entertain long-term goals (such as European control, German territorial expansion and the destruction of the USSR) were limited. Political demands necessitated the expansion of Germany's control of natural and human resources, industrial capacity and farmland beyond its borders. Germany's military production was tied to resources outside its area of control, a great disadvantage as compared to the Allies.

World map, with the British Empire in 1921 in red
British Empire in 1921

In 1938 Britain was the world's superpower, with political and economic control of a quarter of the world's population, industry and resources, and closely allied with the independent Dominion nations (such as Canada and South Africa). From 1938 to mid-1942, the British coordinated the Allied effort in all global theatres. They fought the German, Italian, Japanese and Vichy armies, air forces and navies across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, India, the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. British forces destroyed Italian armies in North and East Africa, and occupied or enlisted overseas colonies of occupied European nations. Following engagements with Axis forces, British Empire troops occupied Libya, Italian Somaliland, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran and Iraq. The Empire funded and delivered supplies by Arctic convoys to the USSR, and supported Free French forces to recapture French Equatorial Africa. Britain also established governments in exile in London to rally support in occupied Europe for the Allied effort. The British held back or slowed the Axis powers for three years while mobilising their globally integrated economy and industrial infrastructure to build what became, by 1942, the most extensive military apparatus of the war. This allowed their later allies (such as the United States) to mobilise their economies and develop the military forces required to play a role in the war effort, and for the British to go on the offensive in its theatres of operation.

Mushroom-shaped cloud
The first atomic bomb

The entry of the United States into the war in late 1941 injected financial, human and industrial resources into Allied operations. The US produced more than its own military forces required and armed itself and its allies for the most industrialized war in history.[1] At the beginning of the war, the British and French placed large orders for aircraft with American manufacturers and the US Congress approved plans to increase its air forces by 3,000 planes. In May 1940, Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the production of 185,000 aeroplanes, 120,000 tanks, 55,000 anti-aircraft guns and 18 million tons of merchant shipping in two years. Adolf Hitler was told by his advisors that this was American propaganda; in 1939, annual aircraft production for the US military was less than 3,000 planes. By the end of the war US factories had produced 300,000 planes,[2][3] and by 1944 had produced two-thirds of the Allied military equipment used in the war[citation needed] — bringing military forces into play in North and South America, the Caribbean, the Atlantic, Western Europe and the Pacific.

The U.S. produced vast quantities of military equipment into late 1945, including nuclear weapons, and became the strongest, most technologically advanced military force in the world. In addition to out-producing the Axis, the Allies produced technological innovations; through the Tizard Mission, British contributions included radar (instrumental in winning the Battle of Britain), sonar (improving their ability to sink U-boats), and the proximity fuze; the Americans led the British-originated Manhattan Project (which eliminated the need to invade Japan). The proximity fuze, for example, was five times as effective as contact or timed fuzes and was devastating in naval use against Japanese aircraft and so effective against German ground troops that General George S. Patton said it "won the Battle of the Bulge for us."[4]

The human and social costs of the war on the population of the USSR were immense, with combat deaths alone in the millions. Recognising the importance of their population and industrial production to the war effort, the USSR evacuated the majority of its European territory—moving 2,500 factories, 17 million people and great quantities of resources to the east.[5] Out of German reach, the USSR produced equipment and forces critical to their victory in Europe. Over one million women served in the Soviet armed forces.

Overhead view of assembly lines in large airplane factory
Assembly line production of fighter aircraft near Niagara Falls, New York

The statistics below illustrate the extent to which the Allies outproduced the Axis. Production of machine tools tripled, and thousands of ships were built in shipyards which did not exist before the war.[6] According to William S. Knudsen, "We won because we smothered the enemy in an avalanche of production, the like of which he had never seen, nor dreamed possible."[7]

Access to resources and to large, controlled international labour pools, and the ability to build arms in relative peace, were critical to the eventual victory of the Allies. Donald Douglas (founder of the Douglas Aircraft Company) declared, "Here's proof that free men can out-produce slaves."[8]

Production summaries, 1939–1945

Personnel, thousands

Major weapons groups

Economy

In thousands of international dollars, at 2014 prices.[citation needed]

Vital commerce and raw materials, tons

To move raw materials and supply distant forces, large numbers of cargo ships had to be built

Production overview: service, power and type

Land forces

Air forces

Naval forces

Munitions

Commercial forces

Resources

All figures in millions of tonnes

Gross domestic product

Ratio of GDP between the major Allied and Axis powers 1938–1945

Gross domestic product (GDP) provides insight into the relative strength of the belligerents in the run up to, and during the conflict.

Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Albanian GDP calculated by multiplying the GDP per capita of the four countries in 1938 ($1,242 for Romania, $2,655 for Hungary, $1,595 for Bulgaria and over $900 for Albania)[28] by their estimated populations in 1938: 19,750,000 for Romania,[29] 9,082,400 for Hungary,[30] 6,380,000 for Bulgaria[31] and 1,040,400 for Albania.[32]

  1. ^ Billions of international dollars, at 1990 prices. Adjusted annually for changing compositions within each alliance.

Table notes

  1. France to Axis: 1940:50% (light green), 1941–44:100% (brown)
  2. USSR to Allies: 1941:44% (light green), 1942–1945:100%.
  3. US direct support to the Allies begins with Lend Lease in March 1941, though the US made it possible for the Allies to purchase US-produced materiel from 1939[33]
  4. Italy to Allies and Axis: 1938:0%, 1939–1943:100% Axis (brown), 1944-1945:100% Allies
  5. Japanese to Axis begins with Tripartite Pact in 1940
  6. The Allied and Axis totals are not the immediate sum of the table values; see the distribution rules[clarification needed] used above.

United States World War II GDP (compared to other countries)

GDP during World War II

US unemployment during World War II

Three African-American workers complete the pilot's compartment of an aircraft, 1942

Price of war

Many concerns and political influence come from the price of war. While GDP can easily increase federal expenditures, it also can influence political elections and government decision making. No matter how much percentages of GDP increase or decrease we need higher amounts of GDP in order to pay for more investments, one of those investments being more wars. To pay for these wars, taxes are held at a very high rate. For example, by the end of World War II tax rates went from 1.5% to 15%. Along with tax percentages reaching high amounts, spending on non-defense programs were cut in half during the period of World War II. Tax cuts allow one to see GDP in effect for the average American. Still, almost ten years after World War II, in 1950 and 1951 congress raised taxes close to 4% in order to pay for the Korean War. After the Korean War, in 1968 taxes again were raised 10% to pay for the Vietnam War. This caused GDP to increase 1%. Although research can support positive relationship between production and jobs with GDP, research can also show the negative relationship with tax increases and GDP.[39]

US wartime production

Prior to the Second World War, the United States was cautious with regard to its manufacturing capabilities as the country was still recovering from the Great Depression. However, during the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt set ambitious production goals to fulfill. The early 1940s were set to have 60,000 aircraft increasing to 125,000 in 1943. In addition, targets for the production of 120,000 tanks and 55,000 aircraft were set during the same time period. The Ford Motor Company in Michigan built one motor car (comprising 15,000 parts) on the assembly lines every 69 seconds. Ford's production contributed to America's total production of vehicles totalling three million in 1941. American production numbers caused the US employed workforce to increase massively. America's yearly production exceeded Japan's production building more planes in 1944 than Japan built in all the war years combined. As a result, half of the world's war production came from America. The government paid for this production using techniques of selling war bonds to financial institutions, rationing household items and raising taxes.

One part of the US wartime manufacturing boom can be ascribed to Alcoa's second major reduction plant in Mobile, Alabama starting in 1937. At first serving mainly the Japanese market, the plant prepared thousands of tons of aluminum for the production of aeroplanes during the war.[1] The United States quickly adjusted to the levels of production required to equip its military with the millions of war products used during World War II.

Personnel – Allied – Britain, dominions and possessions

Including all non-British subjects in British services.[40]

Note:

  1. Auxiliary units include Home Guard, Reserves, Police regiments, etc.

Personnel – Axis – German Reich

This includes all German and non-German subjects serving within German Reich forces.

Note:

  1. Auxiliary units include Home Guard, Wehrmachtsgefolge, Reserves, Police regiments, etc.
  2. USSR includes Armenia 4k SS, 14k Wehr, 7k Aux; Azerbaijan 55k SS, 70k Wehr; Belarus 12k Wehr, 20k Aux; Cossack 200k Wehr; Estonia 20k SS, 50k Wehr, 7k Aux; Georgia 10k SS; 30k Wehr; Kalmyk 5k Wehr; Latvia 55k SS; 87k Wehr, 300 Air, 23k Aux; Lithuania 50k Wehr, 10 Aux; North Caucuses 4k SS; Russia 60k SS, 26k Wehr; Turkestan 16k Wehr; Ukrainian 300k Wehr; 2k Aux; Tatar/Urals 12k Wehr

Aircraft – Allied – British Empire

Within the UK, initially aircraft production was very vulnerable to enemy bombing. To expand and diversify the production base the British set up shadow factories. These brought other manufacturing companies – such as vehicle manufacturers – into aircraft production, or aircraft parts production. These inexperienced companies were set up in groups under the guidance or control of the aircraft manufacturers. New factory buildings were provided with government money.[47]

Aircraft – Allies – France, Poland and minor powers

Production numbers until the time of the German occupation of the respective country. Some types listed were in production before the war, those listed were still in production at the time of or after the Munich crisis.

Aircraft - Axis - All

Occupied countries produced weapons for the Axis powers. Figures are for the period of occupation only.

Propaganda posters

See also

Notes

  1. ^ entered service after the war
  2. ^ wartime production only. Majority of Gladiators were built before the war. 165 additional to export customers. Sea Gladiator conversions and production in Sea Gladiator entry.
  3. ^ Includes some post-war production and conversions of Spitfires
  4. ^ a b c d e Includes pre-war production
  5. ^ Not used as bombers but for other purposes
  6. ^ includes transport and Coastal Command reconnaissance versions
  7. ^ Includes 457 trainers
  8. ^ most built pre-war
  9. ^ Most production was pre-war
  10. ^ Of all types of aircraft not entering service
  11. ^ includes: Folland Fo.108 engine test bed (12), General Aircraft Cygnet (10), General Aircraft GAL-41 (1), Hawker Sea Fury (10), Miles Mercury (6), Percival Vega Gull (~20), Supermarine Spiteful fighter (19)
  12. ^ includes: CCF Maple Leaf Trainer II (2 plus 10 built in Mexico )
  13. ^ Delivered to France.
  14. ^ First prototype incomplete by German occupation.
  15. ^ Only 1 (designated P.11g) used by Poland in 1939. The remaining ones were exported to various Balkan countries.
  16. ^ Around 200 more airframes were in advanced production stage.
  17. ^ not counting uncompleted PZL.50
  18. ^ Production was started in Denmark, but not completed before the German invasion.
  19. ^ Originally an advanced fighter-training aircraft, this type was later used as a light attack plane, in particular by the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia.
  20. ^ not counting P.4/34
  21. ^ According to some sources license production started in Denmark but not completed before the German invasion.
  22. ^ All but 5 delivered to Bulgaria.
  23. ^ Prototypes that were used in combat.
  24. ^ Never entered service
  25. ^ a b c Number refers to production resumed after German occupation.
  26. ^ Produced shortly before the war and mainly used for testing and propaganda purposes.
  27. ^ Conversion from MS.406/410.
  28. ^ Conversion from MS.406.
  29. ^ Produced before the war and 2 used by Japanese for testing.
  30. ^ All produced before the war, but used until 1944.
  31. ^ Only 90 German-built Me 210 were completed and delivered, about 100 Hungarian-built were supplied to Germany
  32. ^ Also used as a fighter and for reconnaissance
  33. ^ Produced for Germany after German occupation.
  34. ^ Only bomber versions listed here.

Citations

  1. ^ Herman, Arthur. Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, p. IX, Random House, New York, NY, 2012. ISBN 978-1-4000-6964-4.
  2. ^ Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, p. 7, Cypress, CA, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9897906-0-4.
  3. ^ Wrynn, V. Dennis. Forge of Freedom: American Aircraft Production in World War II, pp. 4-5, Motorbooks International, Osceola, WI, 1995. ISBN 0-7603-0143-3.
  4. ^ Baldwin, Ralph B. The Deadly Fuze: Secret Weapon of World War II, pp. 4-6, 11, 50, 279, Presidio Press, San Rafael, California, 1980. ISBN 978-0-89141-087-4.
  5. ^ Kumanev, G.A., "War and the evacuation of the USSR: 1941-1942", New Age, 2006
  6. ^ Sawyer, L. A. and Mitchell, W. H. The Liberty Ships: The History of the "Emergency" Type Cargo Ships Constructed in the United States During the Second World War, Second Edition, pp. vii, 1-8, Lloyd's of London Press Ltd., London, England, 1985. ISBN 1-85044-049-2.
  7. ^ Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, pp. 5, 7, Cypress, CA, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9897906-0-4.
  8. ^ Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, p. 8, Cypress, California, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9897906-0-4.
  9. ^ "US military numbers". www.dpaa.mil.
  10. ^ Office of Statistical Control. Army Air Force Statistical Digest, World War II. p. 127.
  11. ^ Office of Statistical Control. Army Air Force Statistical Digest. p. 16.
  12. ^ "Royal Navy in 1939 and 1945". www.naval-history.net.
  13. ^ "US PT Boats List: Numerical List of Boats".
  14. ^ "Expanding the Size of the U.S. Military in World War II". warfarehistorynetwork.com. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  15. ^ Goldsmith data in Harrison (1988) p. 172
  16. ^ "Why Japan Really Lost The War". Combined Fleet. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  17. ^ "Why Japan Really Lost The War". Combined Fleet. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  18. ^ Mitchell, B.R. British Historical Statistics, 1988 [page needed]
  19. ^ "Production of Iron Ore, Pig Iron and Steel Government Of India", FIRST FIVE YEAR PLAN, Ministry Of Human Resource Development Department Of Education, archived from the original on 14 July 2014
  20. ^ Dialogue on Aluminium 110 years of history in Canada approximation
  21. ^ Baker The New Zealand People at War: War Economy 1965 [page needed]
  22. ^ Long, Jason, "Lend-Lease as a Function of the Soviet War Economy", The Sinews of War: Economics, Production and Logistics during the Second World War, archived from the original on 7 March 2012
  23. ^ a b "Soviet Industrial Production 1940-1945", The Sinews of War: Economics, Production and Logistics during the Second World War, archived from the original on 15 April 2012, citing Accounting for War: Soviet Production, Employment and the Defense Burden, 1940-1945 by Mark Harrison, 1996
  24. ^ Including 23.4 synthetic.
  25. ^ a b c Volume 3 -The Effects of Strategic Bombing on the German War Economy 1940-1944 only, retrieved June 8, 2014
  26. ^ "Comparison of GDP adjusted for actual yearly shared contribution to war efforts after Zuljan, Ralph, Allied and Axis GDP", Articles On War, OnWar.com, 2003, archived from the original on August 6, 2014, retrieved June 8, 2014
  27. ^ Harrison, 1998
  28. ^ Stephen Broadberry, Kevin H. O'Rourke, The Cambridge Economic History of Modern Europe: Volume 2, 1870 to the Present, p. 190
  29. ^ "ROMANIA: historical demographical data of the whole country".
  30. ^ "HUNGARY: historical demographical data of the whole country".
  31. ^ "BULGARIA historical demographical data of the whole country".
  32. ^ "ALBANIA: historical demographical data of the whole country".
  33. ^ General Article: Foreign Affairs, pbs.org
  34. ^ "The Economic Consequences of War on US Economy" (PDF). Institute for Economics and Peace. June 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  35. ^ "Defence Spending since 1900". UK Public Spending. Retrieved 2018-06-18 – via Christopher Chantrill.
  36. ^ "The Economic Consequences of War on US Economy" (PDF). Institute of Economics and Peace. June 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  37. ^ "THE WAR: At Home – War Production". The War At Home Production. PBS. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  38. ^ "Graph of U.S. Unemployment Rate, 1930-1945". Bureau Of Labor Statistics. HERB: Resources for Teachers. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  39. ^ Bartlett, Bruce. "The Cost Of War". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  40. ^ Rose, Patrick (2012). The Indian Army, 1939–47: Experience and Development. Routledge.
  41. ^ *The Anglo-Argentine Society in conjunction with the Argentine Embassy (6 April 2005). "Wings of Thunder – Wartime RAF Veterans Flying in From Argentina" (Press release). London: PRNewswire.
  42. ^ "Les luxembourgeois de la "Brigade PIRON" -", Historique - Lëtzebuerger Arméi, archived from the original on 2014-06-29
  43. ^ Munoz 1996, Tomasevich 2001
  44. ^ Czech, archived from the original on July 14, 2014
  45. ^ "De norske frontkjemperne - Norgeshistorie".
  46. ^ Poland, archived from the original on July 14, 2014
  47. ^ Granatstein, Dr. J. L. (May 27, 2005). "ARMING THE NATION: CANADA'S INDUSTRIAL WAR EFFORT, 1939-1945" (PDF). Canadian Council of Chief Executives. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  48. ^ Ethell, Jeffrey L. and Steve Pace. Spitfire. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1997. ISBN 0-7603-0300-2. p117
  49. ^ 3 prototypes and 3 delivered to RAF
  50. ^ "Consolidated PBY Catalina production in Canada". www.historyofwar.org.
  51. ^ * Australian War memorial, Bristol Brigand, Free Dutch, New Zealand Official History, Barnes 1989, Bishop 2002, Bowyer 1980, Butler 2004, Flint 2006, Green 1967, Jackson 1987, Jane's 1989 , Mason 1994, Morgan ?, Otway 1990, Swanborough 1997, Tapper 1988, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, 1985
  52. ^ Comando Supremo: Italy at War, Dressel and Griehl 1994, Encyclopedia of weapons of World War Two, Francillon 1970, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, 1985, Jane's 1989, Mondey 1996, Smith and Anthony ?

Table data

Personnel -Allied - British Empire

Personnel - Axis

Raw materials

Official histories

Bibliography

External links