Figure 1.-- |
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Germany even after World War I still had the largest industrial establishment in Europe. It was that industry that was the backbone of the Central Powers war effort. The War had not been fought on German territory and except for the Saarland and Rhineland, Germany was not occupied by the Allies. Germany did loose some territory as a result of the Versailles Peace Treaty, but with the exception of Alsace-Loraine, mostly aricultural territory in the east. The country's industrial complex and thus its war-making capability was left largely intact. One loss to German's industrial capacity was the disolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This meant that the Skoda arms complex was now in Czechosolvakia, a new independent democratic country, orieted toward Britain and France. Hitler was able, however, to regain control of the Skoda Works after in violation of the Munich Accords, he invaded an occupied Czechoslovakia (March 1939). This an the alliance with Hungary provided him the safe industrial industrial base that the Central Powers had possesed in World War I. Germany had one of the largest and most sophisticated industrial complexes in the world. It possessed the heavy industry, es[ecially the steel production, needed to produce the heavy artillery, armor, and ships needed in warfare. The country developed an aviation industry, after World War I based io civil aviation. Germany like other European countries had a small automobile industry geared to produce expensive, high-performance cars. This meant that Germany, even the expanded Reich, did not have the ability to mass produce huhe quantities of motor vehicles. Thus when Hitler launched World War II, the Wehrmacht was not yet fully mechanized. And Germany was unable to equip its allies with needed equipment, especially vehicles.
Germany even after World War I still had the largest industrial establishment in Europe. It was that industry that was the backbone of the Central Powers war effort. The War had not been fought on German territory and except for the Saarland and Rhineland, Germany was not occupied by the Allies. Germany did loose some territory as a result of the Versailles Peace Treaty, but with the exception of Alsace-Loraine, mostly aricultural territory in the east. The country's industrial complex and thus its war-making capability was left largely intact.
One loss to German's industrial capacity was the disolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This meant that the Skoda arms complex was now in Czechosolvakia, a new independent democratic country, orieted toward Britain and France. Hitler was able, however, to regain control of the Skoda Works after in violation of the Munich Accords, he invaded an occupied Czechoslovakia (March 1939). This an the alliance with Hungary provided him the safe industrial industrial base that the Central Powers had possesed in World War I.
The heart of German industry was the Ruhr Valley. It was here that were huge deposits of coal.
Germany had one of the largest and most sophisticated industrial complexes in the world. It possessed the heavy industry, especially the steel production, needed to produce the heavy artillery, armor, and ships needed in warfare. The country developed an aviation industry, after World War I based io civil aviation. Germany like other European countries had a small automobile industry geared to produce expensive, high-performance cars. This meant that Germany, even the expanded Reich, did not have the ability to mass produce huhe quantities of motor vehicles. Thus when Hitler launched World War II, the Wehrmacht was not yet fully mechanized. And Germany was unable to equip its allies with needed equipment, especially vehicles.
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