The Economics of World War II: Six Great Powers in International ComparisonMark Harrison This book provides a new quantitative view of the wartime economic experiences of six great powers; the UK, the USA, Germany, Italy, Japan and the USSR. What contribution did economics made to war preparedness and to winning or losing the war? What was the effect of wartime experiences on postwar fortunes, and did those who won the war lose the peace? A chapter is devoted to each country, reviewing its economic war potential, military-economic policies and performance, war expenditures and development, while the introductory chapter presents a comparative overview. 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. It embodies the latest in economic analysis and historical research. |
Contents
The economics of World War II an overview | 1 |
Population territory and GDP | 2 |
Size and development | 18 |
The determinants of mobilization | 22 |
Quantity and quality | 25 |
Winning the war losing the peace | 27 |
The United Kingdom Victory at all costs | 43 |
Industry | 56 |
The war economy | 178 |
The cost of the war | 197 |
War losses | 207 |
Conclusion | 213 |
Japan guns before rice | 224 |
Production and expenditure | 225 |
Economic controls during the war with China | 233 |
Economic controls during the Pacific War | 241 |
The longrun impact on wealth | 65 |
Conclusion | 72 |
The United State from ploughshares to swords | 81 |
The production miracle | 82 |
The factors of production | 98 |
Financing the war | 107 |
The longrun consequences of the war | 111 |
Conclusion | 117 |
Germany guns butter and economic miracles | 122 |
The prewar economic miracle | 123 |
As much butter as necessary as many guns as possible | 131 |
Mobilization for war and the postwar inheritance | 151 |
Conclusion | 169 |
Italy how to lose the war and win the peace | 177 |
Mobilization of the workforce | 251 |
Mobilization of finance and money | 256 |
Wartime statistics | 261 |
changes due to wartime control | 264 |
The Soviet Union the defeated victor | 268 |
Mobilizing the potential | 272 |
war finance | 274 |
Real output and employment | 279 |
The defence burden and foreign aid | 286 |
Living standards and demography | 290 |
the long run | 292 |
Conclusion | 296 |
| 302 | |
Common terms and phrases
Abelshauser agricultural aircraft Allied allocation armaments army assets Axis powers Banca d'Italia Bank Bank of Italy Britain British cent China civilian coal colonies consumption controls cost CSVI defence burden defence industry deficit deflator domestic Economic History employment estimates exports factor figures finance foreign Four-Year Plan GDP per head German growth guerra Harrison Hitler human capital important increase inflation investment ISTAT Italian Italy Japanese job creation labour force lend-lease lire losses Manchuria materials mobilization plan measures Mefo bills ment million Ministry monetary munitions national income official outlays output Pacific War peacetime peak period population postwar prewar production rearmament régime Reich Reichsbank result Rockoff sector Source Soviet economy Soviet Union spending statistics supply territory thou tion tons trade trend United USSR war economy wartime economy workers World World War II yen bloc