Nazi Germany's Economic Policies and Military Buildup Quiz

29 Questions

What was the primary purpose of the economic policies introduced by Adolf Hitler after becoming Chancellor of Germany?

To achieve national economic self-sufficiency

How did weekly earnings change from 1933 to 1939 in Nazi Germany?

Increased by 19% in real terms due to longer working hours

What was the main source of funding for Nazi Germany's vast military rearmament program?

Deficit financing before the war

What did the Nazis believe should be the primary purpose of a country's economy?

To enable the country to fight and win wars of expansion

What was the impact of reduced foreign trade on consumer goods in Nazi Germany?

Rationing of consumer goods like poultry, fruit, and clothing

What eventually came to represent the majority of the German economy in the 1940s?

The military

According to Peter Hayes, the Nazi regime sought to harness business's energy and expertise primarily through:

Offering financing options to reduce risk

In the context of Nazi economic policies, the term 'Skinner Box' economy refers to:

A combination of government funding and state-guaranteed profit margins

According to Peter Hayes, the Nazi state did not resort to blunt-instrument forms of coercion primarily because:

It did not need to

The Nazi economic policies aimed to channel corporate decisions through:

Government funding and state-guaranteed profit margins

According to Peter Hayes, the Nazi regime left an impression on the corporate world by resorting to direct state intervention as a 'Plan B' in some cases, and:

These cases left an impression on the corporate world

What was the main economic priority of the Nazi government?

To rearm and rebuild Germany's military

Who utilized slave labor in Nazi Germany?

Leading German corporations

What economic measures did Hjalmar Schacht employ for rearmament?

Deficit financing and Mefo bills

What was the percentage of national income that military spending in Nazi Germany reached by 1944?

75%

Why did Hitler withdraw from the Geneva disarmament talks and the League of Nations?

To prioritize rearmament

What was the role of leading German businesses in the Nazi economy?

Forming partnerships with the Nazi government for war support

What was the percentage of German government's revenues represented by privatization between 1934-35 and 1937-38?

1.4%

How did the Nazi regime grant unprecedented powers to control the workforce?

Owners and managers of German businesses

Which business profited from the persecution of Jews during the war?

IG Farben

What did the Nazi regime use to persuade businesses to support its goals?

Monetary incentives

What was the reason behind the budget deficits that led to privatization by the Nazi government?

Military spending

What did the Nazi regime impose on small corporations?

Compulsory membership in cartels

What was the outcome of the rearmament costs on Nazi Germany's national debt?

The national debt reached 38 billion ℛ︁ℳ︁ in 1939.

What was the purpose of the 'Reinhardt Program' introduced in 1933?

To result in great expansion of the German construction industry.

What was the primary reason for the Nazi privatization policy?

To avoid state ownership unless necessary for rearmament or the war effort.

What was the government's claim regarding the military buildup in violation of the Treaty of Versailles?

It was engaged only in essential maintenance and renewal expenditure.

What was the impact of the Great Depression on state ownership in Nazi Germany?

It spurred increased state ownership.

What was the purpose of the profit-sharing agreement with IG Farben for their synthetic oil plant?

To develop synthetic oil for the war effort.

Study Notes

Nazi Germany's Economic Policies and Military Buildup

In violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany secretly built an air force and expanded its army to 300,000 soldiers by 1937.
Hitler initially focused on a land war in Europe but later approved an expansion of the navy, including the construction of battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines.
The military buildup was impossible to hide, and the government claimed it was engaged only in essential maintenance and renewal expenditure.
The rearmament costs caused a huge deficit and rising national debt, reaching 38 billion ℛ︁ℳ︁ in 1939.
The Nazis expected territorial expansion to repay the national debt using the wealth and manpower of conquered nations.
A bureaucracy was created to regulate imports and develop synthetic replacements for materials to improve the nation's balance of payments.
The government made a profit-sharing agreement with IG Farben for their synthetic oil plant, causing regret from Farben due to excess profits being given to the government.
The "Reinhardt Program" for infrastructure development was introduced in 1933, resulting in great expansion of the German construction industry.
The Great Depression spurred increased state ownership, but after the Nazis took power, industries were privatized en masse, with the government maintaining control through regulation and political interference.
Privatized entities included major banks, steelworks, the German Railways, shipbuilding companies, and public services previously provided by the government.
The Nazis privatized public services, mainly taken over by organizations affiliated with the Nazi Party to apply Nazi racial policies and to cement the partnership between the government and business interests.
The Nazi privatization policy aimed to avoid state ownership unless necessary for rearmament or the war effort, and included an option clause for private firms operating the plant to purchase it.

Test your knowledge of Nazi Germany's economic policies and military buildup with this quiz. Explore the rearmament efforts, deficit impact, privatization of industries, and the government's strategies to repay national debt through territorial expansion.

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