Military policies used by the Nazis once they were in power

• There was a massive increase in military spending
• This created jobs in armaments and many men were conscripted into the armed forces
• Thousands of jobs were created in the public sector such as new schools, hospitals, houses and government buildings
• Women, Jews and opponents of the Nazis were forced out of work and over 500,000 people were imprisoned in concentration camps to allow work for Aryan Germans
• Unemployment was further reduced by the introduction of National Labour Service
• All men aged between the ages of 19 and 25 had work for the government for six months
• Workers were kept under control by the abolition of trade unions and the setting up of the Nazi controlled German Labour Front (DAF)
• The Strength through Joy organization (KdF) provided cheap holidays, sporting and cultural activities for workers
• In 1937 economic targets were set out in Goring's Four Year Plan
• This was designed to prepare Germany for war
• Arms production was increased and there was a drive towards self-sufficiency
• During the attempt to become self sufficient Imports were reduced and substitutes for raw materials such as oil and rubber were developed
• Farmers were encouraged to produce more food
• The Four Year Plan did succeed in increasing food production and imports were cut but Germany was a long way from being self-sufficient
• When war broke out in 1939 the German economy was not yet operating at full capacity
• The production of armaments in 1943 was greater than that of 1939