Figure 1.--Hitler Youth children during the War assisted in efforts to maintain food production. Some of this was done informally. There were also mpre organized efforts by the HJ members at both HJ and KLV camps. These boys here are helping transport some geese to market. This image also suggests the lack of mechaization of German farms which of course affected productivity. This was just not the situation on the farm. Many Wehrmacht divisions at the on set of the War were not mechanized. German industry simply did not have the capacity to build all the needed vehicles.

One of the reasons Germany was defeated in World War I is that support for the War and the imperial government collapsed on the hime front. The Allies also cracked the Western Front, but the German Aemy could have continued the War for another year. The Rhine would have been a formidable natural barrier. It was the collapse of the home front tht ended the War in November. A major reason for the collapse of the home front was the substantial decline in agricultural production. It is interesting that Hitler after the War focused on the collapse of the home front and not the battlefield defeat of the German Army on the Western Front. (This was accomplished with an American Army of only about 1 million in France. (The United States was building an army of over 4 million at the time of the German requested Armistice.) As a result, the NAZIs in World War II gave considerable attention to supplying the home front with food. This was accomplished in a variety of ways. First, the Germans looted occupied countries of food. This was done rutlessy in the East and in a more civolized, but none the less efficent matter in the West. Little consideration was given to the civilians in the occupied countries. There was , for example, a dreadful famine in Greece. Second, the NAZIs used POWs as agricultural labor. Many Polish and Soviet POWs were essentiallu y killed by exposure and starvation. The French POWs were treated more correctly. Third, the HJ was used as a source of agricultural labor. This was done in a variety of ways. The children were set up in camps for this purpose. Some of the KLV camps were also used. Fourth, an effective rationing program was established. The efforts worked to supply both the military and civilians with food. Food began to become more scarce as German military defeats began to reduce the area in the East that could be pillaged. The system, however, began to collapse in late 1944 as the Allied air offensive began to destroy the German tranportation network.

World War I

One of the reasons Germany was defeated in World War I is that support for the War and the imperial government collapsed on the home front. The Allies also cracked the Western Front, but the German Army could have continued the War for another year. The Rhine would have been a formidable natural barrier. It was the collapse of the home front tht ended the War in November. A major reason for the collapse of the home front was the substantial decline in agricultural production. Germany drafted rural workers and made no sustained effort to replace them. This and the shortage of fertilizer significantly impaired agricultural production.

Hitler and NAZI Assessment

It is interesting that Hitler after the War focused on the collapse of the home front and not the battlefield defeat of the German Army on the Western Front. (This was accomplished with an American Army of only about 1 million in France. (The United States was building an army of over 4 million at the time of the German requested Armistice.) TheNAZIs chose to inore this massive American Army, both the Army in France and the even larger Army being traine in America. Rather the NAZIs stressed the "stab in the back" conspiracy theory, blameing Germany;s defeat on Jews and Socialists. Hitler who was in the Army could not except the proposition that the German had been defeated. So in his planning for World war II, he sought to keep the homefront well supplied to mke sure that there would no collapse of civilian morale.

Food Production Effort

As a result of the World War I experiebce, the NAZIs in World War II gave considerable attention to supplying the home front with food. This was accomplished in a variety of ways. First, the Germans looted occupied countries of food. This was done ruthlessy in the East and in a more civolized, but none the less efficent matter in the West. Little consideration was given to the civilians in the occupied countries. There was , for example, a dreadful famine in Greece. Second, the NAZIs used POWs as agricultural labor. Many Polish and Soviet POWs were essentially killed by exposure and starvation. The French POWs were treated more correctly. Third, the HJ was used as a source of agricultural labor. This was done in a variety of ways. The children were set up in camps for this purpose. Some of the KLV camps were also used. We believe some of it may have been done more informally, simce as HJ boys and girls helping local people. Are children in KLV camps helping local people on an informal basis. Fourth, an effective rationing program was established.

Food Supplies

The NAZI efforts worked to supply both the military and civilians with food worked well in the first years of the War. German families had better food supplies than the Briish. Food only began to become more scarce as German military defeats began to reduce the area in the East that could be pillaged. The system, however, began to collapse in late 1944 as the Allied air offensive began to destroy the German tranportation network.

Created: 7:01 PM 8/24/2007
Last updated: 7:01 PM 8/24/2007