Graduation Year

2024

Date of Submission

4-2024

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Award

Best Senior Thesis in History

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

History

Reader 1

Jonathan Petropoulos

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2024 Spencer D Taylor

Abstract

This thesis presents a chronological narrative that delves into the economic and industrial underpinnings of the Second World War, focusing on the contrasting war machines of Germany and the United States. By examining the strategic decisions and outcomes shaped by two central figures, Albert Speer of Germany and William S. Knudsen of the United States, this study highlights how their approaches to war production profoundly influenced the overall trajectory and outcome of the war. Knudsen’s embodiment of the American industrial spirit and Speer’s manipulation of Germany's constrained resources illustrate the crucial roles that economic strategies played alongside military operations. The narrative not only explores the direct impacts of these strategies but also situates them within the broader context of national policies and the global struggle for supremacy. Through a detailed, chronological analysis, the thesis reveals how the vast industrial output of the American economy and the severe resource limitations of the German economy led to the eventual downfall of the Third Reich and the rise of the United States as a preeminent world power. This exploration provides not just historical insights and anecdotes but also reflects on the enduring implications of economic and industrial capacities in shaping the fates of nations during war.

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