Domestic Fronts Germany France Great Britain Soviet Union Questions: –How did the experiences on the domestic front in Britain differ from those in Germany and France? –What impact did “The Great Patriotic War” have on the people of the Soviet Union?

GERMANY

Victory to Defeat Germany Assumed victory –Blitzkreig Required little domestic change –Plenty of food –Industry was not only for war Battles with the soviets changed everything –Expected a quick victory Food supply limited in the East All industry changes to war effort

Germany steps up military production –Use slave labor –Minimize consumer goods Standard of living decreased As draft increased, industry suffered Food rationing began in 1942 –Prices and wages were controlled Seized more food from occupied regions

Labor Shortage Who were the workers? –Women, young teenagers and retired people Focus in industry –Closed stores –Cancelled public services (mail & railways) –Occupied people forced into labor –Slave labor (non paid) Jews

Role of Women Celebrate motherhood  produce more Germans –Films portrayed them as brave and patriotic Workers who supported Germany

Great Changes Very little opposition to Nazi party Germany was transformed –Physical destruction –Invasion –Occupation Only a NEW state with a NEW government could exist after the war

France

Defeat, Collaboration & Resistance North –German Occupation in the North Demoralized French –Forced labor Small resistance South –Vichy Regime Goal: reshape France –More conservative Fled to Britain –“Free French” or French National Committee of Liberation General Charles de Gaulle

Tide Turns… Allies are winning Vichy regime could not survive –Resistance became common De Gaulle openly urged French resistance Development of the Fourth Republic with a New Constitution –Divided Defeat, disgrace, deprivation and suffering turned French against each other

Great Britain Organization and Victory

In the beginning.. Government given emergency powers –Compulsory military service –Food rationing –Economic controls Leader: Winston Churchill Most important need –Produce more planes for the Battle of Britain Civilian involvement was high

The “blitz” Evacuate children to the countryside –Government paid for food and medicine Shelter from bombings –Subway –Gas masks Factory system surpassed Germany BBC sent broadcasts out encouraging resistance

The Soviet Union The Great Patriotic War

Surprise! War with Germany was a surprise for Stalin –Failure of Stalin’s foreign policy –Not prepared for war –Government feared that occupied areas (Non Russian) would support the Germans Why? Oppressed by Stalin Suffered greatest loss and destruction!

Stalin has all the POWER Centralized government –He was chief of the armed forces Propaganda –Emphasized Russian power –No private radios Used loud speakers –Republished patriotic novels