A number of developments shortly after the war made nonsense of the. Aug 02, 2014 the 100th anniversary of the start of world war i has fittingly brought forth books, articles, essays and documentaries about the most cataclysmic manmade event in history. Interview with professor jeffrey diefendorf jeffrey diefendorf has written several books about the reconstruction of both germany and japan after world war ii. Describe social, economic, and political changes occurred. How a decade of financial crises changed the world by adam tooze. Based principally on primary sources from a dozen countries, savage continent is the chronicle of a world gone mad, the standard history of post world war ii europe for years to come. World war ii killed around 70 million people, or 4 percent of the worlds population. The weimar republic was germanys government from 1919 to 1933, the period after world war i until the rise of nazi germany. Economic liberalization in the postworld war ii era. Our new world is more economically secure than the world of the 1930s, but its political leadership is weaker. Germany ended the european theatre of world war ii with its unconditional surrender on the 8th of may, 1945. In the process we learn much about federal efforts, sometimes successful, sometimes not, to sustain it.
When the war began, the german governments increased the money supply in order to cover the soaring costs, initially of the war itself, and afterwards, of the heavy reparations that the allies had imposed on germany in the treaty of versailles. More offers a thoughtful, balanced, clearly written, and entertaining account of post world war ii americas love affair with the blessings of economic growth. The greatest inflation in the history of germany occurred mainly from 19191923, but in fact it had already started in 1914, with the outbreak of wwi. Germany had suffered heavy losses during the war, both in lives and industrial power. In explaining german economic developments luck has. How did west germanys economy change after world war 2.
Macarthur, enacted widespread military, political, economic, and social reforms. That overseas empire was dismantled following germanys defeat in world war i and the abdication of emperor william ii. Many states became boomtowns and adjusted their common way of living to benefit the war. Many of the causes of this disorder had their roots in world war i and its aftermath. The automobile industry successfully converted back to producing cars, and new industries such as aviation and electronics grew by leaps and bounds. World war ii killed around 70 million people or 4% of the worlds population. In december he made his first official visit to east germany, where he agreed to establish joint economic, cultural, and environmental commissions. The basic economic effects world war ii had on the global. In poland alone, some 5 million citizens including polish jews were used as slave labor throughout the war. Many americans feared that the end of world war ii and the subsequent drop in military spending might bring back the hard times of the great depression. The horrid economic consequences of world war i we still.
Lance seems to have changed the original title and description from best post world war 2 fiction to best post war books. Its separate declaration of war was a measure of the independence granted it in the 1931 statute of westminster. A startling new study suggests that germany could have won a key battle in world war ii and perhaps changed the outcome of the war if they had made a few small strategic changes. Rebuilding the world after the second world war world. Paul samuelson, a future nobel prize winner, wrote in 1943 that upon cessation of hostilities and demobilization some ten million men will be thrown on the labor market. Germany was so extraordinarily successful in the first two years that hitler came close to realizing his aim of establishing hegemony in europe. Desmond dinan it is difficult to appreciate today the extent of germany s devastation at the end of world war ii. Behavioural economics development economics economic history. German economy from postweimar chaos to a powerful war economyitself a.
It lasted from 1939 to 1945 and involved 30 countries from every part of the globe. Nazi germany maintained a supply of slave labor, composed of prisoners and concentration camp inmates, which was greatly expanded after the beginning of world war ii. Feb 26, 2018 this post on world war ii books is sponsored by libby. List of books and articles about postwar germany online.
Germany had occupied much of europe during world war ii. However, the quartercentury that followed is known as the most remarkable period of economic growth and social. A chapter is devoted to each country, while the introductory chapter presents a comparative overview. The war brought the return of prosperity, and in the postwar period the united states consolidated its position as the world s richest country. Henry wallich, in his 1955 book, mainsprings of the german revival, wrote.
Social changes world war ii changed the lives of many americans. But instead, pentup consumer demand fueled exceptionally strong economic growth in the post war period. In the immediate aftermath of world war ii, the most important question for the victorious. The war was a disgusting cost on young lives on all sides. The best books on the aftermath of world war ii five books. With the defeat of germany and japan, their plans were put into action.
The first world war took place from the 28 july 1914 to the 11 november 1918. It aims to provide a text of statistical reference for those interested in international and comparative economic history, the history of world war ii, the history of economic policy, and comparative economic systems. The eastern part was controlled by the ussr russia and the western part by the allies. Postwwii economic liberalism west germany background. In the end, world war i set off a 44month period of growth for the united states and solidified its power in the world economy. Many of the countries in the west returned to the same governments and borders they had prior to the war. Eastern europe and east asia suffered the heaviest losses. On september 9, 1939, eight days after germany s invasion of poland, canadas parliament voted to declare war on germany, which the country did the next day. Economic liberalization in the postworld war ii era wikipedia. The nazis and their allies were bad and they did evil things. Technological advances, such as the introduction of gasoline and electricpowered machinery and the widespread use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, meant production per hectare was higher than ever. Dowers brilliant examination of japan in the immediate, shattering aftermath of world war ii.
Contrary to early predictions, this high growth also included. By the end of world war ii, the countrys economic infrastructure was completely destroyed. This suggests a different interpretation of postworld war ii. However, the success of the marshall plan has been debated by economic historians. But instead, pentup consumer demand fueled exceptionally strong economic growth in the postwar period. World war ii was the most expensive war in history. Why did germany experience an economic miracle after ww2. Postworld war ii economic expansion project gutenberg. Jun 26, 2000 the result of an international collaborative project, the volume aims to provide a text of statistical reference for students and researchers interested in international and comparative economic history, the history of world war ii, the history of economic policy, and comparative economic systems. The reconstruction of germany after world war ii was a long process. Eight decades after world war ii began, the world it created is fading into the past. After the defeat of japan in world war ii, the united states led the allies in the occupation and rehabilitation of the japanese state. At any rate, i shouldnt think doestoyevsky would qualify.
It faced war damage to its economy and the problems of mass migration due to the expulsion of ethnic germans from areas east of the oderneisse line. First is the contribution of economics to victory and defeat of the great powers in world war ii. This type of action to help the german economy had been prohibited by the. Rebuilding the world after the second world war world news. Altogether, a book that taught me more on the causes and course of wwii. Perhaps you could describe for us continental europe in the months and years immediately after ve day in may 1945, the date when hostilities officially ended. President wilson declared war on germany in 1917 after it sank 128 u. The effects of world war ii on economic and health outcomes. Inferno is about the firebombing of hamburg by british and us air forces in 1943, which destroyed most of the city and resulted in some 40,000 civilian deaths. Online shopping for world war ii history books in the books store. The economics of world war ii is a high level overview of the economies of the major participants in the second world war, and of the effects of the war on their subsequent history. Truman and the four months that changed the world oct 2, 2018.
For the united states, world war ii and the great depression constituted the most important economic event of the twentieth century. Firstly, this essay will examine the most important negative consequences confronted by europe after wwii, including, the effects the war had on the european economy and political conditions. Germany could have won key world war ii battle if they. Food production per capita in 1947 was only 51 percent of its level in 1938, and the official food ration set by the occupying powers varied between 1,040 and 1,550 calories per day. The overriding concern at the general headquarters ghq of the allied powers was the immediate abolition of. After the war had ended in europe, 12 million germans were held as. After world war ii the german economy lay in shambles. The postworld war ii united states went through a period of unprecedented economic prosperity for many white americans that coincided with black americans intensifying the struggle for civil rights and economic justice. The post world war ii economic expansion, also known as the golden age of capitalism and the postwar economic boom or simply the long boom, was a broad period of worldwide economic expansion beginning after world war ii and ending with the 19731975 recession. Germany was stripped of its war gains and lost territories in the east to poland and the soviet union. Directly after world war ii saw many countries adopt policies of economic liberalization in order to stimulate their economies the period directly after the war did not see many, the most notable exception being west germany s reforms of 1948, which set the stage for the wirtschaftswunder in the 1950s and helped inform many of the liberalisations that were to come.
The post world war ii economic expansion, also known as the postwar economic boom, the long boom, and the golden age of capitalism, was a period of economic prosperity in the mid20th century which occurred, following the end of world war ii in 1945, and lasted until the early 1970s. Throughout the postwar period, germanys and western europes economic development have been inextricably connected. It began post war communist infiltration of government agencies and the hollywood movie industries. World war ii brought about untold changes not just to europe but the entire world.
The second world war, especially in the light of what came after, seems to be the last morally unambiguous war. The best books on the aftermath of world war ii five. Aftermath of world war ii in germany contemporary german history. Savage continent is the story of post war europe, from the close of the war right to the establishment of an uneasy stability at the end of the 1940s. One of the common claims made by leaders of independence movements was that colonialism had been responsible for perpetuating low living standards in the colonies. Mar 01, 2014 in this paper, we investigate longrun effects of world war ii on latelife economic and health outcomes in western continental europe health, education, labor market outcomes and marriage. An introduction by harrison provides an overview and a comparative survey of the six countries covered, the united kingdom, united states, germany, italy, japan. Jun 28, 2019 though world war i officially ended 100 years ago today with the signing of the treaty of versailles, in its overwhelming influence on economic sanctions since 1919, the allied blockade never. This period marked a cultural and economic shift and the recovery from that shift echoes to this day. The automobile industry successfully converted back to producing cars, and new. The aftermath of world war ii was the beginning of a new era, defined by the decline of all european colonial empires and simultaneous rise of two superpowers. This essay will deal about the story of economic growth of postworld warii. Food production per capita in 1947 was only 51 percent of its level in 1938, and the official food ration set by the occupying powers varied between 1,040 and 1,550 calories.
It was a global war fought between the allies the french empire, the british empire, the russian empire, the united states of america and others and the central powers the german empire, austrohungarian empire and the ottoman empire. Differences of class, religion, and politics seemed to disappear as germans flocked to their city centres to show their enthusiastic support for the impending conflict. Historians argue over the exact numbers, so most of the following figures are from the fallen of world war ii. An introduction by harrison provides an overview and a comparative survey of the six countries covered, the united kingdom, united states, germany, italy, japan, and the soviet union.
The automobile industry successfully converted back to producing cars, and new industries such as aviation and electronics. Allies during world war ii, the us and the ussr became competitors on the world stage and engaged in the cold war, so called because it never resulted in overt, declared hot war. After the defeat of nazi germany in world war ii, germany was divided between the two global blocs in the east and west, a period known as the division of germany. Economic development economic development development thought after world war ii. The politics of economic growth in postwar america. Oct 30, 2011 during world war ii, millions of jews were fleeing germany and its occupied territories, many attempting to enter the british mandate of palestine, despite tight restrictions on jewish immigration. How world war i transformed economic warfare washington post. The story behind germanys economic rebirth after world war ii. The united states, soviet union, western european and east asian countries in particular experienced unusually high and sustained growth, together with full employment. For example, in germany for many years all sorts of groups have claimed that two or three. Germany and the soviet union, and the nations that had been ground between them, may have lost as much as a tenth of their populations.
World war ii was the deadliest military conflict in history. In the early years of the war germany had great success. The aftermath of the first world war the holocaust. Germany after the first world war is a masterpiece that gives insight into a nations sociopolitical scene and highlights how the working class would get disillusioned with democracy. John gimbel comes to the conclusion in his book, science technology and. Europe in the aftermath of world war ii by keith lowe. Economic development development thought after world war ii. The war, along with hitlers scorchedearth policy, had destroyed 20 percent of all housing. The weimar republic was germany s government from 1919 to 1933, the period after world war i until the rise of nazi germany. We explore several channels through which this war might have influenced individual lives, and document which groups of the population were most affected. By the end of world war ii, the farm economy once again faced the challenge of overproduction.
Adolf hitler was leader of the nazi party who rose to become dictator of germany. The germans also werent fake this time around about democracy li. Falladas 1932 novel accurately portrayed the germany of his time. The six essays are all very well done, and all conclude with sections outlining the impact of the war on post war growth. He has written two works of fiction and two critically acclaimed books about world war two and its aftermath. Sep 10, 2012 economic growth postworld war ii the standard thinking of the day was that the united states would sink into a deep depression at the wars end. Inferno is about the firebombing of hamburg by british and us air forces in 1943, which destroyed most. Feb 12, 2020 germanys ascent to becoming a global economic powerknown as the german economic miracle or wirtschaftswunderhad its origins at the end of world war ii when much of the country was in. Recent television news coverage of vukovar, the town in eastern croatia almost completely destroyed during a threemonth serbian siege, offered an idea of what germany, and most of continental europe, looked like in 1945. Germany puts its name in the books of economic history as a success story of. The best books on the aftermath of world war ii five books expert. Understanding west german economic growth in the 1950s lse. One issue confronting the united states, britain and soviet russia after world war ii was how to manage with post war germany. Four rounds of twoplusfour talks were held in mid1990 involving the two germanies and the four powers that occupied germany after world war ii.
After world war ii a number of developing countries attained independence from their former colonial rulers. This book adds to our understanding of war economics and the shape of the world economy in the second half of the twentieth century. His work through germany s provides detail structural picture rather than immediate political and cultural events that could lead to the fall of a democracy. A fter world war ii the german economy lay in shambles. There were sporadic wars in various theaters which did not directly involve the major powers, but instead were wars by proxy. Winner of the pulitzer prize, the 1999 national book award for nonfiction, finalist for the lionel gelber prize and the kiriyama pacific rim book prize, embracing defeat is john w. The most transformative conflict in history, world war ii impacted the entire globe and set the stage for the cold war. Kennedys council of economic advisers, described the reforms in a 1949 article. How world war i changed americas economy the balance. However, germany was divided up into eastern and western germany. West germany embarked in its program of reconstruction with. Jan 27, 2020 many americans feared that the end of world war ii and the subsequent drop in military spending might bring back the hard times of the great depression. German economic growth than features in much of the literature.
The cold war 19451991 was a period of simmering tension between the the usa with its allies the western bloc, and the soviet union and its satellite states the eastern bloc, after world war ii. The black eagle inn by christoph fischer, the reader by bernhard schlink, german boy. Its very convenient to think of wars as having neat beginnings and endings but thats rarely the case, especially world war ii. Sep 11, 2009 the second world war, especially in the light of what came after, seems to be the last morally unambiguous war. By downloading libby to your smartphone, you can access thousands of ebooks and audiobooks from your library for free anytime and anywhere. Us soldiers give sweets to children in berlin, a city starved and ravaged by war. Harrison has put together an extremely useful book on comparative economic history.
Economic depression, widespread unemployment, and political strife that verged on civil war followed, leading to the collapse of the progressive weimar republic and the rise of the nazi party under adolf hitler. A war of production world war i was the first modern mechanized war, requiring vast amounts of resources to equip and provision massive armies and provide them with the tools of combat. Brief history of europecontemporary period wikibooks, open. In detroit, the automotive industries switched from manufacturing cars, to building war machinery. But his triumphs were not part of a strategic conception that secured victory in the long run. As the war raged, the leaders of the allies met several times to direct the course of the fighting and to begin planning for the postwar world. World war ii took the lives of more people than any other war in history. At the end of the war, there were some eight million foreign displaced persons in germany. West germany embarked in its program of reconstruction with financial support provided by the marshall plan and, guided by the economic principles of the minister of economics ludwig erhard excelled in the economic miracle during the 1950s and 1960s. During the first days of world war i, many germans experienced a sense of bonding that had eluded them since the founding of the empire.
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