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World War II -- American Arsenal of Democracy - industrial capacity
Arsenal of Democracy: American Pre-War Potential
Figure 1.--At the time Hitler launched World War II, there was only one country in the world that had the potential to wage modern war on mltiple fronts and on a world-wide basis. That was the United States. America had the potential, but that potential was being used to produce cars, trucks, other vehicles (including tracked vehicles), and farm equipment as well as range of other consumer goods. Here we see a McCormick Deering Trac Tractor. The question for the Axis was how rapidly and effectively that potential could be turned into actuality. Hitler's plan was to complete the conquest of Europe before confronting the United States. Without consulting their Axis ally, the Japanese who were less impressed with America's indstrial capacity struck at Pearl Harbor brining America into the War. The question then becme how rapidly America's vast industrial capacity could be converted to war.
At the time Hitler launched World War II, there was only one country in the world that had the potential to wage modern war on multiple fronts and on a world-wide basis. That was the United States. America would prove to have the capacity not only to fully equip its own forces, but those of its allies as well. The question became when would a country determined to stay out of another European war, recognize the growing danger and begin to prepare for it. The United States had the capacity to build modern weapons, but did not do so. It had no conscription law and its small army was not equipped with modern weapons. World War II would prove to be a mechanize war. And only the United States had the ability to build the implements of modern war. Unlike the Europeans, the United States Army did not have a modern tank. The Congress has severely limited military spending, cutting expenditures to the bone. U.S. industry had the technical and industrial capacity to build tanks, other mechanized vehicles, artillery, and other weapons. This has come from the enormous American industrial expansion during the late-19th and early-20th century. The result was a mechanized America, including American agriculture. In contrast, European agricultural was not mechanized. This affected the industrial capacity of European countries, including Germany. A key element of American industrial development was taken by Henry Ford who introduced the assembly line and mass production. The result was the Model-T Ford which put an automobile within the price range of the average American worker and astronomical production runs. It also significantly increased steel production in America--the single most important metal needed to conduct war. European workers at the time for the most part were buying bicycles. European automobile companies were more like craft shops, producing high-quality automobiles for well-to-do customers. This meant that America had the capacity to build mechanized vehicles in huge numbers and a time when the vaunted German Wehrmacht went to war still heavily dependent on draft animals. And it was not just capacity, but technological aadvances and manufacturing techniques made America such a powerful potential adversary. As a result, American automobile companies played a major role in the economies of most the World War II combatant countries (England, France, and the Soviet Union). And here we are not just talking about cars, but trucks and farm vehicle as well--including tracked vehicles. It would be an American inventor that created the suspension system used by the Soviet T-34 tank. He tried to sell it to the U.S. Army rejected it. It was well known that America had a huge industrial capacity. Churchill from the the fall of France realized that America with its immense resources and industrial capacity was Britain's only salvation. Hitler was vaguely aware of the danger and avoided taking on America until the Red Army was destroyed. Japan was less aware and committed the central error of the Axis--bringing America with its massive potential into the War.
Depression
A decade of Depression had aversely affected industrial America. Most plants were running at only partial campacity. Many companies had gone bankrupt. Even so the American industrial capacity was vast and even more than World War I,
National War Making Potentials
At the time Hitler launched World War II, there was only one country in the world that had the potential to wage modern war on multiple fronts and on a world-wide basis. It was certainly not Germany. Hitler's Germany was in many ways in weak position, although Hitler had manafed to strengthen it when the Allies abandones Czechoslovakia (1938). Britain and the Soviet Union were potentially in a better position, had serious weaknesses. France had attempted to prepare, but had seriously misallocated their limited resources and its military leaders had not adopted modern tactical doctrines. Japan had a relatively small industrial base. The one single country with the industrial base needed for war was the United States of America. China had enormous man power reserves and natural resources, but very limited industrial capacity. It was also divided by civil war. America would prove to have the capacity not only to fully equip its own forces, but those of its allies as well. The question became when would a country determined to stay out of another European war, recognize the growing danger and begin to prepare for it.
Isolationism
The American people were, however adament about not fighting in another European War.
Axis Assessment
The United States had the greatest industrial potential of any country. At the time of World War II, the United States had an industrial capacity greater than all of the Axis powers combined. The United States in fact was the only country capable of fighting a two front war. World War II would be largely decided by industrial output. Reich Marshal Herman G�ring phrased it sucintly, "The Americans cannot build aeroplanes. They are very good at refrigerators and razor blades." The Reichmarshal was not far from right at the time. (Even G�ring knew, however, that this was bluster. He also said, "Whenever I hear the word culture, I reach for my Browning!") Hitler was in fact aware, althought not fully aware of the danger. As a result, he attempted to avoid a class with the United States, U-boats in the North Atlantic were ordered to avoid enconters with American ships. He hoped to avoid war with Ameruca until he had first defeated the Soviet Union. Thn he would deal with America. As far as we know, Hitler never ordered a strategic study assesing the poltential of the countries he planned to conquer. Rather his plan was to defeat them one by one and would never have to face an alliance and the combined resoureces of these countries. The Japanese were aittle different. They did attemot to assess America's potential, but seemed more ficused on actual firces than industraial capacity. They decided on winning ahort war and that America would not have the natianal character to fight a long war. Joining the Axis was insurance that America would have to focus its resources primarily on Wurope.
American Military Production
The United States had the capacity to build modern weapons, but did not do so. It had no conscription law and its small army was not equipped with modern weapons. Unlike the Europeans, the United States Army did not have a modern tank. The Congress has severely limited military spending, cutting expenditures to the bone. There was some limited spending on the Navy and Air Force. Potential had, however, little practical meaning in the current crisis. The United States was not manufacturuing arms in any quantity at the time France fell. And the U.S. Army did not even have modern weapons like tanks. It wAs, however, building modern aircraft in small numbers. (The famed B-17 was one of the planes being built in small numbers.) American industry was not geared for war. The United State was not even manufacturing modern tanks at all despite what had traspired in Europe. Incredibly then Col. George Patton had to order spare parts from a Sears & Roebuck catalog for his tanks to conduct maneuvers (1939). [Herman. Forge]
Business Decissions
Not only was American industry not geared for war, but many industrialists were not particularly intereted in governmet contracts. War in Europe was causing an economic revival in America. Many industries were experiencing prosperous conditions for the first time since the Stock Market crash (1929).
World War II would prove to be a mechanized, high technology war. And only the United States, the country least interested in participating in the War, had the ability to not build the implements of modern war in massive numbers., but fuel them, and feed its own peopkle and Allies. And to recruit a massive military force. U.S. industry had the technical and industrial capacity to build tanks, other mechanized vehicles, artillery, and other weapons, although it was not doing so. This has come from the enormous American industrial expansion during the late-19th and early-20th century. The result was a mechanized America, including American agriculture. In contrast, European agricultural was not mechanized. This affected the industrial capacity of European countries, including Germany. A key element of American industrial development was taken by Henry Ford who introduced the assembly line and mass production. The result was the Model-T Ford which put an automobile within the price range of the average American worker and astronomical production runs. It also significantly increased steel production in America--the single most important metal needed to conduct war. America profuced 50 million tons of raw stel production based on 1929 output, the last pre-depression year. (Less well understood was the actual capacity and ability to rapidly expand production.) [U.S. Geological Survey] And any calculation of German capacity should realize that America was just part of the potential advisaries which Hitler was creating. This included France (until June 1940), Britain and the Empire, and the Soviet Union. European workers at the time for the most part were buying bicycles. European automobile companies were more like craft shops, producing high-quality automobiles for well-to-do customers. This meant that America had the capacity to build mechanized vehicles in huge numbers and a time when the vaunted Deutsche Wehrmacht went to war still heavily dependent on draft animals. Steel and autombiles of course were only one aspect of America's industrial might. There was a multitude of other industries that were vital to building massive military establishments including aeronautic, chemical, energy (coal, electrical generation, and petroleum), electronics, metalury, railroads, rubber, ship building, and much more. Germany was a heavily industrailized country, but had only a fraction of America's capacity.
Technological Capacity
And it was not just capacity, but technological advances and manufacturing techniques made America such a powerful potential adversary. As a result, American automobile companies played a major role in the economies of most the World War II combatant countries (England, France, and the Soviet Union). And here we are not just talking about cars, but trucks and farm vehicle as well--including tracked vehicles. It would be an American inventor that created the suspension system used by the Soviet T-34 tank. He tried to sell it to the U.S. Army rejected it. American military research was limited, but
industrial research was significant and had significant military potential. In addition, as part of its commitnent to public education, the United Stares had developed the largest university system in the world. And these universities while not significantly working on military weaponry, had the potential to do so,
Raw Matrials
Agriculture
International Appreciation
It was well known at the time of World War II that America had a huge industrial capacity. There were, however, different assessments as to the military significance of that industrial base or the willingness of the American people to permit its conversion to War or its commirment in the growing international crisis. British Primeminister Chamberlain was unwilling to work with the Americans. He both failed to understand potential American power or the need to work with the United States. Churchill perhaps more than any World War II leader from the the fall of France realized that America with its immense resources and industrial capacity was Britain's only salvation. Stalin's thoughts aremore of a mystery. We are not aware as to his thinking before the War about America's industrial might. Given the role American industry played in Soviet undustrial expansion, he could not have been unaware of it. We suppect that ideological thinking probably convinced him that the Soviet Union would eventually overwealm American industrially. And America in any case was far away and cooperation with Hitler afforded him the immediate prospect of significanyly expanded territory
as part of the partition of Europe with Hitler. Hitler seems to have been vaguely aware of the potential danger.
It was certainly something he gave some thought to before the War. He discussed America in Main Kampf. America had played aecisive role in World War I, but it was the American infahntry, not American industry. G�ring for example famously insisted, 'The Americans only know how to make razor blades.' Hitler seems to have had a more realistic, if vague assessment. But his thinking was also affected by his racist concepts. He had convinced himself that the potential energy of the United States was being sapped by allowing Jewish immigration and the growing role of Jews in saw in American society. These fantsies, however ill-founded, should not be dismissed as important elemebts of his thinking. Hitler's policy was to avoid conflict with the United states and to support the Isolationists. Leading Isolationists like Charles Lindurgh were courted. He avoided taking on America even when President Roosevelt constantly provoked him, even launching an undeclared naval war in the North Atlantic. He was intent on destroying the Red Army before taking on America. Japan was not unaware of the potential industrial might of the United States, but believed the Germany would divert american energies and in any case were convinced that other factors such as fighting spirit would prove decisive. As a result, the Japanese would commit the central error of the Axis--bringing America with its massive potential into the War.
Why America?
Historians have amply covered the American industrial contribution to World War II. The American industrial capacity and its mobiklization for war is well known. Less addressed is just why. Historians tend to treat it as aiven and make no attempt to explain just why it was America which had this vast capacity and not one of the established European powers. Industrial power does not occur by accident. Why America developed into an industrial giant rather than any other country is an obviously important question. Many established historians are more interested in decribing the inefficies and precieved inquity of American free market capitalism and the system it created rather than its achievements. There was a fasinating covergence of ideas in one of the most famous dates in history--1776. Americans of course will recognize this as the year America declared its independence. Some will also recognize this as the year that an obscure Scottish economist published the Wealth of Nations--the first clear description of the mechanics of free market capitalism. Now capitalism is not the only key to American success, but libert is. Capitalism was economic liberty just as aolitical mix (independence, the and subsequent democtatic government, anf the rule of law) was political liberty. A modern author has prooposed what he calls six killer apps of state success. These include: 1) compeition, 2) science, 3) the rule of law based on private property rights, 4) medicine, 5) the consumer society, and 6) the work ethic. [Ferguson] One can quible with the selection here and theor relative . What one can not dispute and is a matter of fact is if you list the world's wealthiest countries you will find countries which to varying dregrees have applied these killer apps (America, Western Europe, and the Asian Tigers) are the most successful and affluent in the world. The only wealthy countries that do not use these killker apps are the oil-rich countries, few of which are using their resource todevelop productive modern socities. And the converse is true. List the poorest countries and you will find the countries that have rejected these killer apps and the greater the rejection, the greater the povery. At the heart of these killer apps are economic and political freedom. One important note hereis that democracy is not synonamous with political freddom. A political majority can reject political libery just as a minority can, perhaps even more so. We can see this clearly as the Arab Spring develops. And we would add that three effective historical movements (the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment) helped focus these killer apps in the West. And no other country embeaced these killer apps more ferevently than the new American Republic. By the dynamic of history, the European powers were locked in such close competition by incesent war with neighbor states, expending massive weaith and energy over thisor tht small provinces. Three countries escaped this restrictive dynamic. Britain attempted to stay out of Continental wars, except when one power began to gain hegenomy. Russia which because of its location had little competition was able to seize the Ukraine, Central Asia, and Siberia. America was given the opportunity of seizing a continent with only limited opposition. Critics will focus on resources. Resources automatically go with territory. But history is reolete with sucessful countries with limited resources. The Mongols are aood example as is modern Jpn. And the coralary is true. There are mny resource rich countries which have failed as states. Latin America is aood example until leadership there becan implementing free market reforms.
Sources
Ferguson, Niall. Civilization: The West and the Rest.
Herman, Arthur. Freedom�s Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II (Random House, 2012).
Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations (1776).
U.S. Geological Survey. "Iron and steel statistics."
