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Children and World War II: National Food Policies

World War II hungry children
Figure 1.--German civilans until late in the War got the food they needed by looting the food supply of occupied countries. This changed after the Wehrmacht were driven out of the occupied countries they could exploit and Allied airpower began to dismantel the German transport system. Here an American Army cook (just off camera, but you can see his ladel) feeds some hungry children. The dealer suggested they were French children, but we think they are probably German children in 1945. Army cooks were not susposed to feed civilians, but most found it difficult to turn away hungry children, even German children, after the soldiers in the unit had been fed. Two of the children have arm bands, I am not sure what that represents.

Food became a major issue in World War II, as it commonly does in time of war. There were large numbers of agricultural countries at the tme of World War II. There were far more agricultural countries. but what was important was not just agriculture, but countries that produced an agricultural surplus that could be used to promote the war effort. Food is not an obvious military weapon, but no country can wage war without food. National food policies varied starkly, especially in the two major producers, the United States and the Soviet Union. The length and dimensions of the War made food especially important in World War II. Four countries were especially important in regards to food. Agriculture played a key role in forming the aggressive policies of the Axis countries. The Germans coveted the vast aricultural lands of the East. The Japanese coveted the resource of the Southern Resouce Zone (Souheast Asia). These were some of the world's most productive agricultural lands. NAZI Germany decided to use food, or more accurately the denial of food, as a weapon. This to an extent was awell established strategy in warfare, to attack the ecoomies of eneny countries and to weaken a country's war making potential. But the Germans went far further than this they used food as part of a vast plan to chage the ethnic map of Europe--especiallyEastern Euyrope. The NAZI Hunger Plan killed millions of targeted peoples in occupied countries. Imperial Japan through both incompetence and indiference caused terrible famines in occupied areas resulting in the death of millions. America had an enormous agriculture sector which could significantly expand food production and supply both war workers and military forces. America would also save millions of people, as in World War I, from starvation by American food supplies both during and after the War. The Soviet agricultural sector was weakened before the War by Stalin's agricultural reforms, essentially murdering most of the country's best farmers and introduing a highly inefficent collectivist system. This gave Stalin control of Soviet agriculture, but substantially reduced havests. Then when Hitler launched Barbarossa (June 1941), the Germans quickly seized contriol of much of the most fertile Soviet agricultural lands, the black soil areas of the south.

Africa

With the exception of a few British colonies (Kenya, Rhodesia and South Africa) where European farmingboccurred, Africa was not a major agricultural exporter. The subsistence agriculture practiced in most of the Continent, did not create much of a surplus to export. What was important to the Allies was the industrial metals being mined in Sub-Saharan Africa.

America, Latin

For the most part, Lastin America was not a major exporter of food during world war Ii. As in Africa, the major contribution to the war effort was the export of industrial metals. There were exoorts of specialty items like bananas. A comnon British lament was the disapearance of bananas. The biggest impact on the Brutish diet was the reduction in sugar exoports from the Caribbean. More than anything this made the British diet very dull. The Bruitish continued to be well noourished, but they lacked many of the little delights thst make eating such an enjoyabkle expperience. The problem was not supply, but shipping shortages. There was one important exceoption to the Latin American t fiod situation. Argebntina was an imprtant food prodycer and expoter. Arguntine neat and garin was imoprtant to the war effort, especaiily Agentine meat exports. This was was why the German pocket battleship Graf Sppe appeared in the Rio de la Plata estuary and why the British cruiser sqadron correctly aassessed this was where she would appear (December 1939). The Argentine Government controlled by Col. Juan Peron was actually pro-Axis durung the War, but British and American control of the Atlantic meant that the countryu had to deal with the Allies.

America, North

North America is dominated by the United States and Canada. Mexico and Central America are also geographically part of North Americs, but we discuss them for cultural reasons under Latin America. And while basically agricultural countries, did not have the capability of producing an agricultural surplus capable of feeding the countries adversely affected by World War II, American and Canada did. And this would primarily come from the Graet Pains. The Great Plains until the Civil War (1861-65) were primarily undisturbed grasslands. It was the domain of the Plains Tribes who since the Spasish brought horses back to North america had developed a culture based on hunting the vast hears of buffalo. European immigrants taking advantage of technological advance (trains, barbed wire, mecahnical reepers, and other advances) turned the primordal grasslands into the iconic 'waving fields of grain'--a vast bread basket. They fed Europe during and after World War I prevening famine. The environmental mistakes leading to the Dust Bowl were corrected by the New Deal (1930s). And both America and Canada again palyed a critical role in saving Britain and feeding war-ravaged countries. And this time there was a far greater need. World War I despite the title was a largely European war, World War II was in every sence a world war. And thus far more people were affected by the War. And the more vicious nature of World War created a far greater need. Hunger and famine in World War I was largely a function of poor policies and incompetence. This was different in World War II. The Axis powers were out to kill civilians and denying food to people was one way of doing this. Again food from the North American breadbasket would save millions. Both America and Canada rationed food, the rationing began earlier and was much more severe in Canada.

Asia

As horrendous as the food situation was in Europe, the situation in Asia was even worse. Some 15 million people, probably more, died of hunger and realted diseases because of terrible famines in Japanese occupied Asia. And this does not include the 5 million or more people who perished in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) during the Japanese occupation which we address in the Oceania section. Smaller but not inconsequential numbers of people died in other countries. The primary cause was the Japanese seizure of food which not only denied food to the local population, but discouraged overall food production. Another factor was incompetent Japanese occupation policies. The Japanese got it into their head that each area of their new empire should feed itself -- even though this was not the case before the War. This was partly the result of launching the War with an inadequate maru fleet (merchant vessels). But the Japanese applied this principle even in areas where there was local transport available such as French Indo-China. The result was terrible famines. Another horrendous famine occurred in Bengal, part of the British colony of India. Before the war, Bengal importeng food from Burma. After Japan seized Burma, terrible famine developed in Bengal. Food also becme a terrible problem in China. The Nationlists developed this relatively well intil a comination of Japanese conquest (including food producing areas) and refugees fleeing the Japanese (incraaing the food demand) combined to create famine conditions. Food was not only a problem for the people occupied by the Japanese. None of the Axis countries were prepared to wage an extended war. The most illprepared and vulnerable was Japan. Not only did it have an industrial base a fraction of that of the United States, but it lacked raw materials and an adequate agriculyural sector. And it was also highly dependent on imported food. Seizing China and the Southern Resource Zone (SRZ) was part of the ratinale for war. Within a year of Pearl Harbor, however, the American submarine campaign began to reduce the already inadequate Japanese maru fllet. This meant that the expected shipments of food and raw materials began to rapidly decline. This affected both isolated Japanese garisons and the population on the Home Islands. And as the War continued this situation became worse and worse for the Japanese. At the end of the War, Japanese soldiers were starving throughout the Pacific. And at home the population was reduced to starvation diets. If the War had not ended when it did, the Japanese people themselves would have begun starving in large numbers-- like the people in the countries they had occupied. Only American food shipments prevented this.

Europe

World War II began in Europe and again food became a major issue. Hitler and Stalin as allies launched the War, but they could not have beenmore different. German was a highly indistrialized nation with an undfficent peasant farm system and needed to import food. The Soviet Union was a country which had recently developed an indstrial base, but had a huge agricultural potenial. Stalin had sought to end peasant agriculture, which he did through Collectivization, but in the process reduced output. Hitler had given some thought to question of food. He correctly assumed that if and when Britain entered the War, that the Royal Navy would implement another naval blockade. And to avoid the shortages of food and raw material, he would turn east. First he negotiated an alliance with Stalin in which the Soviets would supply food, oil, and other critical raw materials. This was, however, only a temporary sollution. The whole idea of the War was to seize the East (meaning European Soviet Union) and turn it into a vast German agricultural colony. Hitler made this very clear in Mein Kampf. But Hitler just wanted the land--not the people on it. Thus part of the food history of the War was the denial of food to unwanted people to kill them. This included the Jews, but was hardky limited to them. A much larger and more dangerous target was the Slavs. Germany's answer to the food problem was a more effective rationong system and the exploitation of conquered countries. Hitler planned that the food would come from the East, but because the Wehrmacht failed to destroy the Red Army, the food from the East, primarily went to feed the Wehrmacht operating their. It was the occipied West (especially France) that would help feed the Reich duringthe War. Britain was also dependent on food imports. A very efficent rationing system combined with Kend Lease shipments from America kept Britain in the war and its people fed. And again after the War, American relief supplies prevnted mass starvation in war ravaged Europe--including Germany. America also helped feed the Soviet Union during the war. After the war, Stalin was intent on installing Communist police state satellites in an Eastern Europe empire and the United States cut off food and other Lend Lease shipments.

Oceania

Food issues did not hit Oceania hard until the Japanese attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. Before that the primasry issue was getting Australin and New Zeaklanf food to a belegered Britain That was not a major imposition on the udtrlisbns abnf New Zealabders because that was where most of their food prodyction was going before the war. The problem for both Australia and New Zealand was how to get the food to Britain. The two Dominions were on the farside of the globe and thus required more shipping than any where else to transport to Britain. The War created unprecedetnted demands on shipping. And then they faced the German surace raiders and U-boats. The Pacific War launched by the Japaese fundamentally altered the food situation in Oceania. As in Southeast Asia, Japabese ioccupation of the South Pacific iskabnds made food a life and death matter for millions. This created a serious problem because Japanese policy was for each of their new territiruies to be both self sufficent in food and supply the Japanese occupation force. Japanese mismanagement added to the problems. The situation varied from islsnd to island. In New Guinea it was primtily the Jaopsbnese whio suffered as the natives just meklted away intio y=th h=jungle interior. In the Philippines there were widespread shirtages, but the Americans got to the Filipinos befire famine took hold. In the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) where the natuisists collsvirated with the Jaopanese, the ruch fiood prioducing colony not inly began experiencing shortages, but a dreadful famine occured. There were also impacts on the islabnds occuopied by thec Americans. In contrast to the situastion on Japanese occupied islsnds, so much anerucan food poured into these islands thatv the eating habits of the native populatiion was permznently akltered abnd obesity becme abn enduring problem.

Australia

Australia was a major food producer during World War II. It was mnot as useful in feeding Britain because of the enormous demands on shipping needed to transport food to Britain. Throughout the War, the major constraint on Allied war planning was a shortage of merchant vessels to carry the food and war supplies. And this was a oprivlem even not condidering the German naval threat, both surface raiders and U-boats. Australia did, hoever, play an important role in feeding the U.S. Army that was huridly deployed to Australia to defend the country from the rapidly asdvancing Jzaopanese after Pearl Harbor. This created food shortages in Australia, in part because American soldiers required greater logistical support than any other World War II soldiers. This created huge demands on the Australian agricultural economy. both because of the way American soldiets were fed and the number of the American soldiers massing in Astralia for the South Pacific cmpaign. The results were serious shortages in the domestic civilian economy.

Dutch East indies (Indonesia)

The Dutch East Indies (DEI, modern Indonesia) had some of the most prioductuive farm land in the wirld. Thec soil in Java and Sumatra was ebnruched by volcanic activity abd the ckimate permitted more than one crop annually. The Dutch colony was quickly seized byb Japab after Pearl Harbor (February-March 1941). The primary Japanese objective was the oil in Sumatra abd Borneo, but the food and itherr resiyurces were a valuable bonus. The nascent nationlist movement collaborated with the Jaoanese thriughout the Ear, seeing the Dutch as their real enemy. Thev primary Japanese injctive was to ship as much oil, foiod, and other resource back to the Home Islands. The Japabese so mismaanaged the econmomy that the food-producing DEI was racked by a terrible famine. As many as 5 million Indinesias are belived to have perished. Even so, the nationlist continued to collaborate with the Japabnese.

New Guinea

New Guineas was self sufficdent in food, but the native population with their subsistence agriculture did not produce a surplus capable of feeding hundreds of thousand of Japanese soldiers pouring into the the huge island. This created a serious problem because Japanese policy was for each of their new territiruies to be both self sufficent in food and supply the Japanese occupation force. When the Japanese soldiers began seizing not only native food supplies as well as women, the native population simply fled into the vast jungle interior leaving the Japanese Army without any food to seize and with little or no food arriving from the Home Islands. Thus thrughout the long New Guinea campaign (1942-44) the Japanese had to contend with both increasing Allied military power, but with starvation. And in their weakened conditiion, disease becme a growing problem. The Japabnese referred to Guadakcabnal as Starvatruiin Island. New Guinea was not much better.

New Zealand

New Zealand befiore World War II was a largely agricultural country. The verdent to maun islands prioduced imprtant qyantuituies of meat and dairy priducts. Ptoductiin in the years before the War averaged: butter (164,000 tons), cheese (88,000 t), and meat (470,000 t). Most all of it (about 80 percent) was exported to Britain. Nearly all (some 95 percent) of New Zealands's foreign exchsnge earmings came from agriculturl exports. The huge priductuive capacity and smll populastion mean that most of production as exported: cheese (94 percent), butter (85 percent), meat (over 50 percent). New Zealabd declared war on Germany after the British declaratioin (September 3, 1939). There was huge support for Britain, Kiwis began replacing flower gardens with vegtable gardens to support the war effort. The problem for both Australia and New Zealand was how to get the food to Britain. The two Dominions were on the farside of the globe and thus required more shipping than any where else to transport to Britain. The War created unprecedetnted demands on shipping. New Zealand after Pearl Hsrbor intoduced a rationing program (1942). The goal was not to fairly distribute a limited supply, but to expand the amount that could be shipoped to Britain and ton a lesser extent the Pacific forces of their new American allies. The first products rationed were foods like sugar and tea that had to be imported. Rationing would continue for 5 years after the War (1950).

Philippines

The Philippine Islands when acquired by the United States in the Spanish American War was a backwater of the decaying Spanish Empire and almost totally agricultural (1898). The United States oversaw a development effort. The United States built new public schools, transportation, reform system, boutiques, offices and civic buildings. There was a raid growth of the economy. Agriculture remained the heart of the economy, but tourism and industry developed. Major crops included rice, corn, hemp, tobacco, coconuts, and abaca (a species of banana). Many other crops were grown in garden plots for family consumption. Coconuts were important for oil production. Forestry was also important. The Philippines had one of the world's great strands of commercial timber. The economy grew despite difficulties with various agrarian uprisings. The robust coconut industry was a major factor in the growing economy and taxes helped fund infrastructure and other development projects. The Filipinos benefitted from a developing economy. The American Commonwealth unlike many countries and colonies was not terribly affected by the Great Depression. The Japanese invasion and occuoation, however, did result in a serious recession. The Philippines before the War was laregely self sufficent in food, some foods were imported but were paid for by mostly agriculturl expots. Unlike sveral other areas of Southeast Asia/Ocenia, the Phillipines was not a major rice producer. Some rice was grown, but even before the War, rice had to be imported. And the Japanese were espcially interested in rice, it was their preferred food. The needs of the large Japanese military garison sharply increased the demand for rice. Thus the Japanese began shipping in rice was imported from other areas of the the expanded Japanese Empire (primarily southern Indo-China and Thailand). Japanese mismanagement of the economy disrupted agricultural production throughout the areas conquered, including the Philippines. Food shortages developed. People as the occupation continued has to rely increasinly on small garden polts to feed themselves. This was possible in the countryside, but not in the major cities like Manila.

Sources

Britnell, G.E and V.C. Fowke. Canadian Agriculture in War and Peace, 1935-1950 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1962).

Library and Archives Canada (LAC), Department of Agriculture. "Proportion of Canadian Food In The British Diet," RG 17, vol. 3426, file 1500-80.

Collingham, Lizzie. The Taste of War: World War II and the Battle for Food (Penguin Books: New York, 1962), 634p.

Vehviläinen, Olli. Finland in the Second World War: Between Germany and Russia (New York: Palgrave, 2002.







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Created: 5:12 AM 4/26/2013
Last updated: 12:16 AM 5/27/2023