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materials available either from domestic production or from imports,
and on the production capacity of the factories. These limits cannot be
overcome successfully by any attempt at overambitious plans, for any attempt to
stretch the basis of raw materials ad infinitum will be impeded by a
lack of raw materials and production facilities arising from the fact that they
are needed for other urgent purposes, in the same way as, on the other hand,
the development of manufacturing plants, transport facilities, etc., depends on
the availability of indispensable raw materials. [Handwritten marginal note:
Very good!] The so-called "Hindenburg Program" of autumn 1916 made such an
attempt. This led to grave reverses in many spheres, and probably there is some
justification for the opinion that it was owing to this program that our
economic power did not reach its peak efficiency (the optimum).
Increased Importance of Task since the End of the War
During the period following the World War several factors arose which
increased the need for Germany's economic preparations for war:
1.
Since then the importance of all technical matters for warfare has increased
even more, and with it the importance of industrial supplies. By the end of the
World War, technical weapons of the utmost importance, like the Luftwaffe and
tanks, were still in their infancy in comparison with the present time or the
near future. These weapons especially require particularly high quality
precision work in modern industrial plants as well as large quantities of
valuable raw materials for their production and maintenance.
2. The
requirements of the civilian population for mass-produced consumer goods have
undoubtedly risen since the end of the war; their sudden restriction
today would have the most serious psychological repercussions.
[Handwritten marginal note: This would be unavoidable!]
3. Because of
the steady progress of the "increased efficiency program" [Rationalisation] and
the substitution of machinery for manpower everywhere in industry, including
transportation (motorization), the technical requirements of industry have
increased substantially in the meantime.
4. The geopolitical and
military-political situation for a considerable time to come probably will be
much less favorable than it was in 1914-1918. At that time we were in a
position to extend our raw material and production bases to the West (Longwy,
Brie, Tourcoing, Roubaix, Antwerp [textiles]), to the East (Lodz), and to the
Southeast (ore mines in Serbia and Turkey, mineral oils in Romania) ; today we
must reckon with being |
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