U.S. Industry's Role in WW2

[Rubia Warren]

How important was manufacturing during WW2? Why or why not?

[Ryokan]

How important was manufacturing during WW2? Why or why not?

Very. The Allies vastly superior manufacturing power dictated both Germany and Japan's strategy, because, in a war of attrition, they knew they could not win.

[Durthorin]

A major component but overlooked is the "transportation" of that production. Being able to build a million fighters doesn't mean anything unless you can move them to where they are needed.

[Dave G]

And don't forget all the women that moved into "men" working roles...

[Rubia Warren]

A major component but overlooked is the "transportation" of that production. Being able to build a million fighters doesn't mean anything unless you can move them to where they are needed.

How was it transported? (Is that a dumb question? I'm sorry if it is. I was just curious as to if it was transported by means different from how the enemy transported?)

[Rubia Warren]

Very. The Allies vastly superior manufacturing power dictated both Germany and Japan's strategy, because, in a war of attrition, they knew they could not win.

What do you mean?

[Ryokan]

What do you mean?

Germany knew it could not refight WWI, because it simply didn't have enough men or factories to fight the allies mano e mano. They'd have to kill 4 allies for every German, 4 allied tanks for every German, etc. Allied industrial power meant that as soon as Russia and the US were involved, it would only be a short time before they were overwhelmed. So they had to win decisively early. Japan launched the pearl harbor attack so that it could open with an advantage, seize territory, and negotiate a peace before American industrial power came to bear.

[Durthorin]

How was it transported? (Is that a dumb question? I'm sorry if it is. I was just curious as to if it was transported by means different from how the enemy transported?)

In the case of American production it all had to be shiped by sea. See Liberty Ships which was again a matter of production.. building a massive number of hulls to ship the cargo to Europe and the Pacific. The Germans understood this and their U-Boats were tasked primarily with stopping this shipping. Had they been able to accomplish this the war would/could have had a different outcome. Germany's supply lines were internal, ie trucks and trains. We disrupted these with bombing or at least attempted to. Some historians have made a case that German production was still pretty much uneffected that the destruction of their transportation infrastructure did more to starve the Wermacht than bombing factories.

Brighid Bless, Dur

[Durthorin]

What do you mean?

We simply had more resources. There is a military axiom that Quantity has a Quality all its own. In WW II that was absolutly true. When the axis lost equipment or manpower it was harder if not immpossiable to replace.. Think of it as playing Dodgeball agaisnt a teem with more balls and more players.

[Teallaura]

American industrial capacity was a big part Yamamoto made his famous 'sleeping giant' comment.

[Cyrus Johnson]

American industrial capacity was a big part Yamamoto made his famous 'sleeping giant' comment.

Apparently there is no record Yamamoto said this, although it does encapsulate his feelings on the matter. His biographer reported that the Admiral spent Dec 7th in depression while his staff celebrated, because he knew Japan was making a really big blunder. The line appears for the first time in the movie Tora!Tora!Tora!. In the movie Pearl Harbor they have him saying another version of the same line, but they also have him with the strike force when Yamamoto was actully in Japan during the attack. Hollywood for you.

Anyway, also wanted to note that American industry, specifically as it relates to the supply of trucks to Russia, was absolutely critical in the massive attacks like Bagration that later developed there.