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Effects of allied bombing and the changing role in women - Coggle Diagram
Effects of allied bombing and the changing role in women
The effects of allied bombing
From August 1940, the British RAF carried out bombing attacks on German cities
First, they bombed military bases and factoreis, but the damage was very minimal
Due to this, in 1942, the allies started bombing major cities overall, in an attempt to damage German morale
43 German cities were bonbed, killing 42,600 civilians in process, and causing 1,000,000 civilians to evacuate their cities
The government tried to reduce the imact of the bombs with propaganda providing stories of determination to motivate the popualation
To aid the situation, the Germans also provided food, drink and accomodation for those that had to evacuate their cities
However, despite Nazi efforts, the bombing did affect the morale of the German, people negatively.
In 1944, the Allies returned to their policy of targeting military points such as bases, factories and railway lines
This did not slow German efforts, but it did slow German production
40% of metal production was reduced
It also slowed down the transport of war good, due to the destruction of railway lines
For example, in 1945, after hitler killed himself, the Allies found hundreds of destroyed tanks thatn never made it to the front lines due to the destruction of railways.
Changing role of women
Despite Hitler's efforts to keep women at home, total war had to involve everyone in the country
SInce many men left their work in order to join the army, the German government conscripted women to work in factories
In 1941, Goering made all women that had worked before and didn't have kids to start working
When total war was introduced in 1943, all women from the age of 17-45 had to work, and 500,000 women in Germany were working in undustry
by the end of the war, 60% of all industry was made up of women
Women also worked as auxilliaries, meaning that they operated anti-aircraft guns and searchlights
Psychological impacts on women
Women has to cope with the constant fear that their husbands would die in battle
Many women were also killed in the allied bombings on factories and cities
Women that lost their husbands in the war would eventualy become homeless
At the end of the war, a lot of women had to cope with another fear:
The Nazis placed propaganda that warned women that communists were dangerous towards women
This was true, as around 1 million women were raped by soviet soldiers when they invaded east Germany and many women killed themselves to prevent this