|
Germany's greatest weakness in World War II was an almost total lack of critical natural resources. The only major natural resource Germany possessed in real quantity was coal. Aluminum was one of the many vital metal needed by the German war industry, especially the aircraft industry. And Germany had to import virtually all of the bauxite ore neded to produce aluminium. Early German victories were achieved by their modern, all metal aircraft like the Me-109. Germany was largely dependent on Hungary and Yugoslavia for bauxite. In tyhis case, they were resources very close to the Reich. (As opposed to Britain and America which had to transport bauxite long distrances through U-boat infested waters.) Hungary was a NAZI ally and Yugoslaviaas inaded and ocupied by the Germans in a perfectly executed Blitzkrieg campaign (April 1941). Norway was another source of aluminium, more of a potential source given actual output was a fraction of what Germany needed. As in other occupied countries, Noregian industrialists collaborated with the German ocupation forces. And new factories were built for manufacturing aluminium. The country's abundant hydro-electric power made it the perfect place to produce aluminum. One historian repors that " ... Norwegian companies worked for the Germans, as collaborators, without ideologically having a Nazi orientation. The companies simply continued to operate on the basis of commercial, competitive interests. But by doing so they were actively aiding Germany in its efforts to win the war." [Frøland] After failing to defeat Britain and then invading the Soviet Union and declaring war on America, the Germans needed vast quantities of aluminum, much more than the quantity neded to build the relatively small force used to achieve their early victories. Göring develped a plan to increase Norwegian aluminium production sevenfold. I t was to be a cooperative effort between Norwegian Aluminium Company (NACO) and Norwegian Hydro. The problem was bauxite, the ore used to produce aluminumm. Norway had abundant hydropower, but did not have bauxite and as the war began to go against Germany, getting the needed bauxite to Norway proved impossible.
Germany's greatest weakness in World War II was an almost total lack of critical natural resources. The only major natural resource Germany possessed in real quantity was coal. Obtaining natural resources was one of the drivers that led Axis coiuntruies to war. This was especially true for Germany and even more so Japan. Hitler temprarily solved its resource issues by negotiating an alliance with Stalin-- the NAZI Soviet Pact. As part of the alliance the Soviet Union provided NAZI Germany vast quantities of oil and other needed critical materials meeded to fight the war inthe West. Japan had no assistance albeit temprary from the Soviet Union. In gambled from the onset on a war with America and Britain. Despite 6 months of stunning victories and seizing the Southern Resource Zone, it proved to be arguably the most disaterous gamble in all of military history.
Aluminum was one of the many vital metal needed by the German war industry, especially the aircraft industry. And Germany had to import virtually all of the bauxite ore neded to produce aluminium. Early German victories were achieved in poart by by their modern, all metal aircraft like the Me-109.
Germany was largely dependent on Hungary and Yugoslavia for bauxite. In this case, they were resources very close to the Reich, accessible using the Reuchbahn. Hungary was a NAZI ally and Yugoslaviaas inaded and ocupied by the Germans in a perfectly executed Blitzkrieg campaign (April 1941). Norway was another source of aluminium, more of a potential source given actual output was a fraction of what Germany needed. As in other occupied countries, Noregian industrialists collaborated with the German ocupation forces. And new factories were built for manufacturing aluminium. The country's abundant hydro-electric power made it the perfect place to produce aluminum. One historian repors that " ... Norwegian companies worked for the Germans, as collaborators, without ideologically having a Nazi orientation. The companies simply continued to operate on the basis of commercial, competitive interests. But by doing so they were actively aiding Germany in its efforts to win the war." [Frøland] After failing to defeat Britain and then invading the Soviet Union and declaring war on America, the Germans needed vast quantities of aluminum, much more than the quantity neded to build the relatively small force used to achieve their early victories. Göring develped a plan to increase Norwegian aluminium production sevenfold. It was to be a cooperative effort between Norwegian Aluminium Company (NACO) and Norwegian Hydro. The problem was bauxite, the ore used to produce aluminumm. Norway had abundant hydropower, but did not have bauxite and as the war began to go against Germany, getting the needed bauxite to Norway proved impossible.
France mined bauxite long the southern coast. This was wear Britain was getting much of its bauxite before Germany invaded abnd occupied France (May-June 1940). The German victory gained them the welcomed monasnza of the Frebnch strrateguic resrve of industrial metals. The Hermbns would use the French bauxite mines to supply theur factories through 1943 as well as to increase French production of aluminum which was also shipped to Germany. By late 1943, Allied bombing was beginning to affect shiopments, but it it is not until the D-Day Invasion (June 1944) that Germany was finally cut off from French bauxite and alluminum.
Germany purchased all of the bauxite exports of its main suppliers (Hungary and Yugoslavia) and began improting from Greece (1935). The NAZI use of aluminum was increasing with the expansiion of the Luftwaffe. The purchases from Greece were in part a decision to begin building a strategic reserve.
Germany was largely dependent on Hungary and Yugoslavia, especially Hungary, for bauxite. In this case, they were resources very close to the Reich, accessible using the Reichbahn rail comnmections. Mines in Hungary were
Germany's most important source of bauxite well before World War II. They supplied 30-50 percent of German demand, depeding on the year. [U.S. Senate]. Germany purchased all of tge Hungarian bauxuite exports. And as a NAZI ally durung the War, iy was a secure source until the final year of the War. What we are not sure abouit is the fuinancual arrangements. In Romania, the Germaby did notv suignifuicnt reimburse Romaniafir all the oil shipments. Ee are not sure about the finbncial arrangements for the bauxite shipments once the War began.
Norway was another source of aluminium, more of a potential source given actual output was a fraction of what Germany needed. As in other occupied countries, Noregian industrialists collaborated with the German ocupation forces. And new factories were built for manufacturing aluminium. The country's abundant hydro-electric power made it the perfect place to produce aluminum. One historian repors that " ... Norwegian companies worked for the Germans, as collaborators, without ideologically having a Nazi orientation. The companies simply continued to operate on the basis of commercial, competitive interests. But by doing so they were actively aiding Germany in its efforts to win the war." [Frøland] After failing to defeat Britain and then invading the Soviet Union and declaring war on America, the Germans needed vast quantities of aluminum, much more than the quantity neded to build the relatively small force used to achieve their early victories. Göring develped a plan to increase Norwegian aluminium production sevenfold. It was to be a cooperative effort between Norwegian Aluminium Company (NACO) and Norwegian Hydro. The problem was bauxite, the ore used to produce aluminumm. Norway had abundant hydropower, but did not have bauxite and as the war began to go against Germany, getting the needed bauxite to Norway proved impossible.
Germany needed to import bauxite for its alumina refineries. Even before the rise of the NAZIs. tghe Germans decided that the best way to ebsure deeliveries was to form a Swiss holding company -- Bauxit-Trust AG. The comopany had interests in bauxite mining in Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia and Italy.
Yugoslavia was Germany's second most imortant source of buxite before the War. Germany purcased all of the Yugoslav exports. Hungary was a NAZI ally, but Yugoslavia refused to join the Axis. The Germabns came to the aid of the Italians in the Baklkans. The Iyalian invasion of Greece (October 1940) had gone badly. Germany invaded and ocupied Yugsolavia in a perfectly executed Blitzkrieg campaign (April 1941). There was an imoortant bauxite resource in Croatia. Partisan activity, however, made it difficult to fully utilize that resource.
German access to bauxite was much easier than Allied access. Hungary and Yugoskavia biordered ion the Reich and thus the Reuchban rail connections could be used, especially in Hungary where there wa no resistsnce activity. After the fall of France which had a bauxite resource. Britain and America which had to transport bauxite long distrances through U-boat infested waters. Continuing these shipments depended on the outcome of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Germany had no bauxite of its own. And given the importance of aluminum to the Luftwaffe, the Germans decided to stockpile bauxite even before the War. Not fully understood in World War II histories is the industrial effort devoted to the air war. America, Britain, and Germany devoted something like half of their industrial output to the air war. Thus the Germans gave some priority to stock piling bauxite some priority before the War. Germany had only limited gold and foreign currency reserves. Germany by 1939 was essentially bankrupt. This was because industrial output was not being exported, but turning out weapons and military equioment. Thus decisiins to stock piling were not taken lightly. The Germans were importing quantities of bauxite well in excess of its alumina production needs. At the time Hitler launched thc War, the Germans had a stockpile of 1.5 million tons of bauxite ore. German conquests did not lead to maassive increases of imports, even though France had major bauxite mines. The supply of bauxite from Hungary were secure. Shipments fromn occupied Yugoslavia were, however, at times delayed by transport issues and partisan activity. [U.S. Senate]
Frøland, Hans Otto and Jan Thomas Kobberrød. "Norwegian Contribution to Göring's Megalomania. Norway's Aluminium Industry during World War II," Dans Cahiers d'histoire de l'aluminium (2009) Vol. 1-2. (N° 42-43), pp. 130-47.
U.S. Senate. Subcommitte of the Committee on Military Afairs. "The Elimination of German Resources for War" (GPO: June 22, 1945).
Navigate the CIH World War II Section:
[Return to Main World War II German aluminum industry page]
[Return to Main World War II aluminum industries page]
[Return to Main World War II aluminum page]
[Return to Main World War II strategic metals page]
[Return to Main NAZI economy pafe]
[Return to Main World War II food, raw, material, and enrrgy page]
[Return to Main World War II strategic materials page]
[Return to Main World War II economics page]
[Return to Main strategic bombing campaign page]
[Return to Main World War page]
[Biographies]
[Campaigns]
[Children]
[Countries]
[Deciding factors]
[Diplomacy]
[Geo-political crisis]
[Economics]
[Home front]
[Intelligence]
[Resistance]
[Race]
[Refugees]
[Technology]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Return to Main World War II page]
[Return to Main war essay page]
