Economic position of Germany from 1916?

[Jonathan Saunders]

I am just building up for a look at the significance of the Naval blockade of Germany and I am trying to get my head around the economic position of Germany from late 1916, and when the effect of 2 years of blockade was manifesting.

Three questions come to mind:

1) What impact did the failure of the September 1916 War Bond have on the ability of German to fully compete in a global war?

2) In 1916/17 how did Germany’s experience compare with the economic experience of other combatants, particularly Britain?

3) To what extent was Germany defeated by economic gravity rather than by military defeat?

If anyone has studied the econmic side of the war then I would be grateful for your thoughts on the above, or your comments on other considerations I should be thinking of.

Jon S

[John_Hartley]

Jon

You will find that our Great and Beloved Leader does a pretty good talk to the likes of the WFA on the economics of the war.

Broadly speaking, Chris concludes that Britain, France & Germany were all but bankrupt by 1918 and would have been financially unable to continue to wage war for much longer. Timing was fortunate and I think his real conclusion is that it was all a very close run thing.

If ever you get the chance to hear the talk, don't miss it. Fascinating stuff - even for non-economists like me.

John

[bob lembke]

I wrote a lengthy response, and as I attempted to post it the server went into an extended period of flatulence, or something, and the post was lost and I was thrown out of the Forum. I don't have the time (or enthusiasm) to spend half an hour to re-create it at the moment, but I will track the thread and leap in later.

I wrote about, based on my extensive amount of family letters, mostly from the front, and oral history, how the lack of food wore down my family, despite their being in a remarkably good position in this matter, compared to the rest of the population and troops. Also how this affected the behavior of the troops, at least in my father's unit,

Bob Lembke

[Jonathan Saunders]

John - thanks for the tip, I'll ask Chris about this at my next opportunity.

Bob - Im really sorry you lost your reply. Thanks for taking the trouble and I understand your reasons for not wanting to retype ... we've all been there. My loss this time.

[Robert Dunlop]

Moyer's book 'Victory must be ours' is well worth a read. The effects of the blockade are vividly described, particularly the malnourishment that affected the German population.

Robert

[Jonathan Saunders]

Robert - thanks for the recommendation, I will look out for this. I have a book called The Starvation Blockade that I intend reading and a few other bits and pieces I have compiled on the way.

[Jack Sheldon]

Jonathan

One of the thematic chapters in Vol 1 (To Arms) of Profesor Hew Strachan's magnificent account of the First World War is Financing the War. It comprises a densely written 130 page section, but is well worth getting your head round; it is amodel of accurate compression.

Jack

[Jonathan Saunders]

Jack - thanks for that. I have Strachan's condensed history so will have a quick look through that but I think vol 1 is in the local library - will try and get hold of it.

[Jack Sheldon]

Yes, as you have spotted, there are two different things here. The single volume was a TV spin off, the other is a magisterial effort, which is expected to run out eventually at three fat volumes and to be almost definitive in its detail and scope. We await Vol 2 with interest!

Jack