Which country or maybe two countries, best illustrated the characteristics of "total war"? Give some examples to support your choice.
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1. Choose a question to which you want to respond. Each question is attached as a post. Your post of 250-300 words goes as a "comment" to that post.
2. For your comment of 100-150 words, in the title put your name and to which student's post you are responding. For example, "Valerie commenting on Zlatka's Post". Put it in the section labeled "Comments to Question #__ ". Do NOT put your comments in the same section where you put your original posts.
ALSO... do NOT go back to previous questions. I will no longer look at those.
2. For your comment of 100-150 words, in the title put your name and to which student's post you are responding. For example, "Valerie commenting on Zlatka's Post". Put it in the section labeled "Comments to Question #__ ". Do NOT put your comments in the same section where you put your original posts.
ALSO... do NOT go back to previous questions. I will no longer look at those.
Grading Periods
6th six weeks...last set!
Choose ONE question (#13-15) to answer in a 250-300 work post. Due Friday May 24.
Choose ONE question (#13-15) to answer in a 250-300 work post. Due Friday May 24.
ReplyDeleteGermany best illustrated the characteristics of total war. Characteristics of total war include war economy, technology, as well as the government‘s policies, all of which criteria‘s can be found in Germany during WWII.
Germany had a dictatorship under Adolf Hitler, who can be seen as a totalitarian ruler. He was the head of the Nazi party, and ruled from 1933-1945. The government was not coordinated, thus every Party member could take one of Hitler‘s comments and turn it into a new law, which Hitler could approve or disprove. Hitler had an anti-semitic ideology, and had total control of the nation. There were huge amounts of censorship, which can be seen in the book burning episode.
Furthermore, Germany had a war economy. A large portion of the economy was devoted to military production, and factories were built to produce weapons to equip the army. Germany turned the economies of German occupied countries to the production of arms e.g Poland.
Hitler used slave laborers, war prisoners, as well as laborers from occupied german territory, to work in German factories. By 1944 slave labor made up 1/4 of Germany‘s entire work force. Food/consumer goods that were produced in German occupied countries were sent back to Germany, thus Germany could spend less money on food resources and spend it on the war instead. Hitler put Albert Speer in charge of the war production, and economic production reached its peak in 1944: Armament production was increased from 4900 tanks in 1941 to 17,300 tanks in 1944. By 1944 the entire German economy was dedicated to military production.
Germany also developed new technology during WWII, which can be seen in the establishment of V-1, and the V-2 weapons that were used against the British, and destroyed major British cities.
(Juliane Berger, 299 words )
The United States best illustrated the characteristics of "total war" during WWII. Through the economy, women's involvement, home front, and technology. During the war, the US transformed their economy into a war economy by increasing production of wartime goods. Their success was so great that they became the nation that the Allied nations depended on for goods. They were able to increase their production because of women's involvement in the factories. Many women left the home to work in factories, in order to support the war effort. The government used propaganda, like Rosie the Riveter, to gain support from the women. Their involvement was also an important feature of "total war". Another important aspect was the effects of the war on the home front, since a "total war" is one that effects not only the military, but the home front as well. There were many food shortages during the war, and the Americans were forced to adjusting to less than they were used to living off of. The US government implemented rationing policies on food items, like milk, meat, and cheese, as well as everyday goods, like textiles and gasoline. The government also encouraged the public to assist by planting "victory gardens", in which they grew their own crops to help feed their families. A final characteristic that was presented by the US was their use of technology. The navy used battle cruisers and other ships in the Pacific, such as the Battle of Midway, where they also used aircrafts. The Battle of El Alamein used the technology of tanks and aircrafts. The most important technological advance of the US during this time was the atomic bomb, which they used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to devastate Japanese civilians. Overall, the US best illustrated the characteristics of "total war".
ReplyDelete(B. McCune, 298)
Great Britain best illustrated the characteristics of a total war. Characteristics of total war include war economy, home front, technology, and women’s involvement. During the war, Great Britain transformed their economy into a war economy by increasing production of wartime goods. The factories were switched to begin producing armaments, such as heavy-duty weapons including tanks. Great Britain’s home front was greatly affected by World War II. Rationing became a major part of British civilians’ lives. Great Britain had to import most of what they needed, but German U-boats attacked their merchant boats, reducing the amount of supplies Great Britain could import. Families were also issued gas masks in case of bombings. To protect children from bombings, many were evacuated out of large cities, such as London, and sent to the country. Great Britain used warships, tanks, warplanes, and rocket technology during World War II. Their variety of technology allowed them to fight their enemy in the air, water, or on land, ensuring that wherever they fought, they would stand a chance against their enemy. Women were highly involved in World War II. Women could join the Women’s Land Army, which helped to provide Britain with food. Men were away at war, so women took over farming to help supply food to Great Britain. The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force was created in July of 1939 in order to boost the numbers in the Royal Observe Corps. When the war ended, there were 460,000 women in the armed forces and over 6.5 million women in civilian work. In 1943, there were over 180,000 women enlisted, with over 2,000 women enlisting each week. Overall, Great Britain best illustrated the characteristics of “total war.” Their economy and home front were affected greatly, and they produced thousands of weapons to defend themselves in the war.
ReplyDeleteTatyana Guy
Word count: 300
Total war is when a country utilizes all of its resources for the war for the sole purpose of winning.
ReplyDeleteEvery available weapon is used and the nation's full financial resources are devoted to the war. Intimidation is often used, and unconditional surrender is usually desired. Japan and Great Britain both illustrate the characteristics of “total war” in WWII.
Japan illustrates total war by refusing to surrender under dire circumstances. It had attacked Pearl Harbor as a means to scare and intimidate the US into not participating in the war, and did not surrender after events such as the Doolittle raid, the Battle of Midway, and even the first atomic bombing on Hiroshima. In addition, Japan’s government also had unlimited budgets to produce war materials, controlled price and rationing, along with taking over civilian organizations. The Japanese also had a horrible economy during the war, because the majority of the foodstuffs were given to the military, and the price of food also increased which resulted in a food shortage.
Great Britain illustrates total war by mobilizing all its resources into producing supplies for the war. Women played a large role on the homefront due to the men being at war, they were required to take over men’s jobs but were still underpaid and discriminated. Along with having to go to work, women also had to care for their family and children. Women were also in charge of evacuation methods, rationing of foods, and arranged precautions for any possible air raids. Great Britain geared its economy towards war production like the US did, began producing weapons. Due to them shifting their whole economy towards the war effort, Great Britain can be seen as a “total war” nation.
Word Count: 286
For Mitchel Barry
ReplyDeleteAfter our time researching WWII and the countries involved, there is no doubt that it was a total war. Both sides worked for absolute victory, and in many countries the majority of the population was working in order to supply both the soldiers in battle, and those that remained in the nation. The nation that I believe most exemplifies the aspect of total war is Great Britain. During World War II, the British found themselves nearly surrounded by German forces, with their cities being bombed nightly. Despite this, the nation kept a firm stance on fighting wherever they were challenged. During this period Britain had nearly 85% of its women working in factories, trying to help their sons and husbands who were fighting in the war. This is a staggering prospect, especially when one considers the fact that the US had less than 50% of its women in the industrial workforce. Britain refused to back out of the war, Winston Churchill, the nations prime minister, even stated that they shall “fight on the beaches, fight on the shores,” and that they would continue fighting until their last breath. With a nation determined to win, no matter the cost, as well as an industrial movement entirely devoted to the war effort, Britain clearly is a nation devoted to total war. They continued their efforts despite overwhelming circumstances against them, and stood alone against on of the world's mightiest armies until help from the US and Russia arrived.
M. Barry: 252
In my opinion the country that best demonstrated the characteristics of total war was Japan. Japan demonstrated what makes total war through its actions and its mind set in regards to conflict. The purpose of total war differs from the purpose of regular war in that the purpose of a regular war between two or more nations is the surrender of your opponent when they can no longer afford to fight and negotiations can be made to provide terms that both sides of the conflict are accepting of, however the purpose of total war is the destruction of your enemy, to continue to fight until the other country can no longer function as a nation or until the enemy provides their unconditional surrender. The Japanese provided the best demonstration of this concept primarily through their mind set based on the traditional Samurai code which had the clause that due to a warrior's honor and pride they were to under no condition surrender their lives held a greater value if killed by their enemy than if they were to bow down to their enemies. It was this code that molded the actions of the Japanese army and led to how the war affected them and how they affected he war. The greatest demonstration of this mindset is the eventual need of the US to utilize the atomic bomb to finally bring forth the surrender of the Japanese. Two major cities had to be sacrificed to finally bring the Japanese to their knees. Another excellent piece of evidence is the Japanese utilization of Kamikaze fighter pilots. The concept of using pilots to actually commit a sacrificial suicide when they run out of ammunition is an entirely total war concept, to win at all costs. With the use of the Bushido code and the willingness to give up everything Japan best demonstrated the characteristics of total war.
ReplyDeleteWord Counts- 300
Destiny Lewis-
ReplyDeleteTotal war is defined as a war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territory or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued; it affects the entire population, civilian as well as military because every available weapon is used and the nation's full financial resources are devoted to winning the conflict.;
The Soviet Union had a command economy which already had an economic and legal system allowing it to be redirected into fighting a total war. The transportation of factories and whole labor forces occurred, leaving only those factories which were useful for war production because of the total war commitment of the Soviet government. The whole of the Soviet Union become dedicated to the war effort. The population of the Soviet Union was probably better prepared than any other nation involved in the fighting of World War II to endure the material hardships of the war. The Soviets were so used to shortages and coping with economic crisis in the past, especially during wartime but still, conditions were severe. World War II was especially devastating to citizens of the USSR because it was fought on Soviet territory and caused massive destruction. Many factory workers were teenagers, women and the elderly. The government implemented rationing in 1941 all across the country. Additional rations were often so expensive that they could not add substantially to a citizen’s food supply unless that person was especially well-paid. Russia definitely achieved, or at least came very close to achieving total war.
Word Count: 249