Military production during World War II


Military production during World War II was the production or mobilization of arms, ammunition, personnel and financing by the belligerents of the war, from the occupation of Austria in early 1938 to the surrender and occupation of Japan in late 1945.
The mobilization of funds, people, natural resources and material for the production and supply of military equipment and military forces during World War II was a critical component of the war effort. During the conflict, the Allies outpaced the Axis powers in most production categories. Access to the funding and industrial resources necessary to sustain the war effort was linked to their respective economic and political alliances.

Historical context

During the 1930s, political forces in Germany increased their financial investment in the military to develop the armed forces required to support near and long-term political and territorial goals. Germany's economic, scientific, research, and industrial capabilities were one of the most technically advanced in the world at the time, supporting a rapidly growing, innovative military. However, access to the resources and production capacity required to entertain long-term goals were limited. Political demands necessitated the expansion of Germany's control of natural and human resources, industrial capacity and farmland beyond its borders. Germany's military production was tied to resources outside its area of control, a great disadvantage as compared to the Allies.
In 1938 Britain was the world's superpower, with political and economic control of a quarter of the world's population, industry and resources, and closely allied with the independent Dominion nations. From 1938 to mid-1942, the British coordinated the Allied effort in all global theatres. They fought the German, Italian, Japanese and Vichy armies, air forces and navies across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, India, the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. British forces destroyed Italian armies in North and East Africa, and occupied or enlisted overseas colonies of occupied European nations. Following engagements with Axis forces, British Empire troops occupied Libya, Italian Somaliland, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran and Iraq. The Empire funded and delivered supplies by Arctic convoys to the USSR, and supported Free French forces to recapture French Equatoriired to play a role in the war effort, and for the British to go on the offensive in its theatres of operation.
The entry of the United States into the war in late 1941 injected financial, human and industrial resources into Allied operations. The US produced more than its own military forces required and armed itself and its allies for the most industrialized war in history. At the beginning of the war, the British and French placed large orders for aircraft with American manufacturers and the US Congress approved plans to increase its air forces by 3,000 planes. In May 1940, Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the production of 185,000 aeroplanes, 120,000 tanks, 55,000 anti-aircraft guns and 18 million tons of merchant shipping in two years. Adolf Hitler was told by his advisors that this was American propaganda; in 1939, annual aircraft production for the US military was less than 3,000 planes. By the end of the war US factories had produced 300,000 planes, and by 1944 had produced two-thirds of the Allied military equipment used in the war — bringing military forces into play in North and South America, the Caribbean, the Atlantic, Western Europe and the Pacific.
The U.S. produced vast quantities of military equipment into late 1945, including nuclear weapons, and became the strongest, most technologically advanced military force in the world. In addition to out-producing the Axis, the Allies produced technological innovations; through the Tizard Mission, British contributions included radar, sonar, and the proximity fuze; the Americans led the British-originated Manhattan Project. The proximity fuze, for example, was five times as effective as contact or timed fuzes and was devastating in naval use against Japanese aircraft and so effective against German ground troops that General George S. Patton said it "won the Battle of the Bulge for us."
The human and social costs of the war on the population of the USSR were immense, with combat deaths alone in the millions. Recognising the importance of their population and industrial production to the war effort, the USSR evacuated the majority of its European territory—moving 2,500 factories, 17 million people and great quantities of resources to the east. Out of German reach, the USSR produced equipment and forces critical to their victory in Europe. Over one million women served in the Soviet armed forces.
The statistics below illustrate the extent to which the Allies outproduced the Axis. Production of machine tools tripled, and thousands of ships were built in shipyards which did not exist before the war. According to William S. Knudsen, "We won because we smothered the enemy in an avalanche of production, the like of which he had never seen, nor dreamed possible."
Access to resources and to large, controlled international labour pools, and the ability to build arms in relative peace, were critical to the eventual victory of the Allies. Donald Douglas declared, "Here's proof that free men can out-produce slaves."

Production summaries, 1939–1945

Personnel, thousands

ServiceAlliesAxis
Combat25,00010,000
Auxiliary force15,0007,500
Merchant marine50,0000
Irregulars90,00012,500
Total180,00030,000

Economy

In thousands of international dollars, at 2014 prices.
ServiceAlliesAxis
GDP97,707,908,723.2010,268,201,776.37
Expenditure

Vital commerce and raw materials, tons

CategoryAlliesAxis
Cargo ships47,16912,762
Merchant shipping46,817,1725,621,967
Coal4,581,400,0002,629,900,000
Crude oil1,043,000,00066,000,000
Steel733,006,633x
Aluminium5,104,6971,199,150
Asbestos3,934,043x

  • Cargo and resources in metric tonnes.

Production overview: service, power and type

Land forces

PowerTanks & SPGsArmoured vehiclesOther vehiclesArtilleryMortarsMachine gunsPersonnel
British Empire47,86247,4201,475,521226,113239,5401,090,41017,192,533
USA and territories108,4102,382,311257,390105,0552,679,84016,000,000
USSR119,769265,000516,648363,0121,477,40034,401,807
Other
Allies270,04147,4204,054,9321,000,151707,6075,247,65067,594,000
-------
Germany and territories67,42949,777159,14773,484104,8641,000,73014,540,835
Hungary9735305,2244472,7004,583730,000
Romania2142514,3001,8004,30010,0001,220,000
Italian Empire3,3681,24083,0007,20022,000140,0004,300,000
Japanese Empire4,5242,200165,94513,35049,000380,0008,100,000
Other
Axis76,38550,028413,31697,281182,8641,395,31328,890,800

Naval forces


PowerTotal large shipsCarriers
BattleshipsCruisersDestroyersFrigates
& Destroyer Escorts		Other large vesselsCorvettesSloopsPatrol boatsSubmarines
De/ MiningLanding craftPersonnel
British Empire55815 5352022702338334,2092381,2449,5381,227,415
USA and territories202029 1052396101439877323435,0004,000,000
USSR630654368
France927
Other824191
Allies26584417956631284403338344,9825771,24544,538
--------------
Germany & territories38043311,1195401,500,000
Italian Empire82033175983
Japanese Empire27814212631756867
Romania825
Other
Axis3981491811123462,069


Resources

All figures in millions of tonnes

Gross domestic product

Gross domestic product provides insight into the relative strength of the belligerents in the run up to, and during the conflict.
Country19381939194019411942194319441945
United Kingdom284287316344353361346331
Dominions115
Colonies285
British Empire684687716744753761746731
France1861998213011611093101
Colonies49
French Empire235248131179165159142150
Soviet Union359366417359274305362343
Occupied
Soviet Union Total359366417359274305362343
United States80086994310941235139914991474
Colonies24
United States Total82489396811181259142315231498
Nationalist China320.5
German Reich351384387412417426437310
Occupied77430733733430244
German Reich Total35146181711451150856681310
Italy14115114714414513711792
Colonies3
Occupied20202020
Italian Empire144154170167168160140115
Japan169184192196197194189144
Colonies63
Occupied
Japanese Empire232247255259260257252207
Romania24
Hungary24
Bulgaria10
Albania1

Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Albanian GDP calculated by multiplying the GDP per capita of the four countries in 1938 by their estimated populations in 1938: 19,750,000 for Romania, 9,082,400 for Hungary, 6,380,000 for Bulgaria and 1,040,400 for Albania.
Table notes
  1. France to Axis: 1940:50%, 1941–44:100%
  2. USSR to Allies: 1941:44%, 1942–1945:100%.
  3. US direct support to the Allies begins with Lend Lease in March 1941, though the US made it possible for the Allies to purchase US-produced materiel from 1939
  4. Italy to Allies and Axis: 1938:0%, 1939–1943:100% Axis, 1944-1945:100% Allies
  5. Japanese to Axis begins with Tripartite Pact in 1940
  6. The Allied and Axis totals are not the immediate sum of the table values; see the distribution rules used above.

United States World War II GDP (compared to other countries)

GDP during World War II

  • Debt and higher taxes led to GDP growth percentages over 17%. This trend continued throughout the war and stopped increasing after the war ended. For the United States, government spending was used as a positive indicator of GDP growth. However the high rates of government only was beneficial for a short period of time, a trend that can be seen in most wars.
  • In 1939, Britain spent 9% of its GDP on defence; this rose drastically after the start of World War II to around 40%. By the year 1945 government spending had peaked at 52% of the national GDP.
  • Before joining World War II US government spending in 1941 represented 30% of GDP, or about $408 billion. In 1944 at the peak of World War II, government spending had risen to over $1.6 trillion about 79% of the GDP. During this three-year period the total GDP represented by government spending rose 294%.

US unemployment during World War II

  • During World War II unemployment by 1945 had fallen to 1.9% from 14.6% in 1940. 20% of the population during the war was employed within the armed forces.
  • The beginning years of World War II shows a spike in employment, but towards the end of the war decreased significantly. The employment spike was in relation to the tremendous amount of war production which the U.S. was undertaking. Examples of high numbers of employment could have been seen in at Gulf Shipbuilding which obtained 240 employees at the beginning of 1940 and increased to 11,600 employees in 1943. Alabama Dry dock also was an exemplary business in employment that raised number from 1,000 workers to 30,000 in the most productive years of the war. Demographics of employment consisted of eight million women including African Americans and Latinas, adding to the 24 million that searched for defensive jobs outside of the war.

Price of war

Many concerns and political influence come from the price of war. While GDP can easily increase federal expenditures, it also can influence political elections and government decision making. No matter how much percentages of GDP increase or decrease we need higher amounts of GDP in order to pay for more investments, one of those investments being more wars. To pay for these wars, taxes are held at a very high rate. For example, by the end of World War II tax rates went from 1.5% to 15%. Along with tax percentages reaching high amounts, spending on non-defense programs were cut in half during the period of World War II. Tax cuts allow one to see GDP in effect for the average American. Still, almost ten years after World War II, in 1950 and 1951 congress raised taxes close to 4% in order to pay for the Korean War. After the Korean War, in 1968 taxes again were raised 10% to pay for the Vietnam War. This caused GDP to increase 1%. Although research can support positive relationship between production and jobs with GDP, research can also show the negative relationship with tax increases and GDP.

US wartime production

Prior to the Second World War, the United States was cautious with regard to its manufacturing capabilities as the country was still recovering from the Great Depression. However, during the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt set ambitious production goals to fulfill. The early 1940s were set to have 60,000 aircraft increasing to 125,000 in 1943. In addition, targets for the production of 120,000 tanks and 55,000 aircraft were set during the same time period. The Ford Motor Company in Michigan built one motor car on the assembly lines every 69 seconds. Ford's production contributed to America's total production of vehicles totalling three million in 1941. American production numbers caused the US employed workforce to increase massively. America's yearly production exceeded Japan's production building more planes in 1944 than Japan built in all the war years combined. As a result, half of the world's war production came from America. The government paid for this production using techniques of selling war bonds to financial institutions, rationing household items and raising taxes.
One part of the US wartime manufacturing boom can be ascribed to Alcoa's second major reduction plant in Mobile, Alabama starting in 1937. At first serving mainly the Japanese market, the plant prepared thousands of tons of aluminum for the production of aeroplanes during the war. The United States quickly adjusted to the levels of production required to equip its military with the millions of war products used during World War II.

Personnel – Allied – Britain, dominions and possessions

Including all non-British subjects in British services.
ArmyArmy NavyNavy MarinesAir ForceAir Force AuxiliaryMerchant marinePartisansTotal combatOther labour
Aden1,200
Australia727,70324,02636,9763,000124,00727,0004,500942,712
Argentine volunteers1,7001,7006004,000
Basutoland/Bechuana/Swaziland10,00036,000
Free Belgian Forces42,3001,2001,90045,770370
Britain3,300,000210,309865,00074,00078,5001,208,000181,9091,500,000185,0007,602,718
B. Indian Ocean6,5006,500
Canada705,37425,25199,8227,100222,50127,12382,16318,0001,187,334
Caribbean / Bermuda10,000
Ceylon26,000
Chinese volunteers10,00010,000
Cyprus30,00030,000
Czech volunteers4,0002,0006,000
East Africa200,000228,000
Egypt100,000100,000
Falklands200
Fiji7,0001,0717,000
Free French Forces3,700203,720
Free Greek5,0008,50025014,000
Gibraltar700
Guiana, British321042334819631
Hong Kong2,2002,200
India2,500,00011,00045,94730,00050,0002,586,95714,000,000
Ireland70,00070,000
Lesotho21,00021,000
Free Luxembourg8080
Malaysia1,5001,4503,2154,80010,965
Malta8,200
Mauritius6,8003,500
Nepal250,280250,280
Free Dutch4,0001,000100012.0006,000
South Africa?
Total7,988,669271,5961,064,33784,10078,5001,590,311236,0321,593,297267,5124,80013,221,23214,000,401

Note:
  1. Auxiliary units include Home Guard, Reserves, Police regiments, etc.

Personnel – Axis – German Reich

This includes all German and non-German subjects serving within German Reich forces.
ArmyArmy NavyNavy MarinesAir forceAir force AuxiliaryMerchant marinePartisansTotal combatOther labour
Albania9,0009,000
Arab legion20,00020,000
Belgium22,00022,000
Bulgaria30,00090,000
Croatia55,50050040032,00088,400
Czech6,4656,465
Denmark12,00012,000
Finland vol2,5002,500
France & territories8,0004,5005,08017,580348,500
Germany & territories14,793,2001,500,0003,400,00019,693,200
Greece22,00022,000
Hungary40,00040,000
Italy18,00018,000
India4,5004,500
Luxembourg12,03512,035
Netherlands45,00045,000
Norway5,0001,5001,5004,500
Poland75,00045,000120,000
Portugal200200
Romania55,00055,000
Serbia10,00010,000
Slovakia45,00045,000
Slovenia6,0006,000
Spain47,00047,000
Sweden300300
Switzerland800800
USSR1,051,000300100,0001,151,300
Total16,336,7551,506,5003,402,200204,08021,582,300348,000

Note:
  1. Auxiliary units include Home Guard, Wehrmachtsgefolge, Reserves, Police regiments, etc.
  2. USSR includes Armenia 4k SS, 14k Wehr, 7k Aux; Azerbaijan 55k SS, 70k Wehr; Belarus 12k Wehr, 20k Aux; Cossack 200k Wehr; Estonia 20k SS, 50k Wehr, 7k Aux; Georgia 10k SS; 30k Wehr; Kalmyk 5k Wehr; Latvia 55k SS; 87k Wehr, 300 Air, 23k Aux; Lithuania 50k Wehr, 10 Aux; North Caucuses 4k SS; Russia 60k SS, 26k Wehr; Turkestan 16k Wehr; Ukrainian 300k Wehr; 2k Aux; Tatar/Urals 12k Wehr

Aircraft – Allied – British Empire

Within the UK, initially aircraft production was very vulnerable to enemy bombing. To expand and diversify the production base the British set up shadow factories. These brought other manufacturing companies – such as vehicle manufacturers – into aircraft production, or aircraft parts production. These inexperienced companies were set up in groups under the guidance or control of the aircraft manufacturers. New factory buildings were provided with government money.
FightersAustraliaBritainCanadaIndiaNew ZealandSouth AfricaTotal
Blackburn Roc 136136
Boulton Paul Defiant1,0651065
CAC Boomerang250250
CAC Mustang200200
de Havilland Hornet6060
de Havilland Vampire244244
Fairey Firefly 872872
Fairey Fulmar 600600
Gloster Gladiator9898
Gloster Meteor239239
Hawker Hurricane14,2311,45115,682
Hawker Tempest1,7021,702
Hawker Typhoon3,3303,330
Supermarine Seafire 2,3342,334
Supermarine Spitfire20,35120,351
Westland Whirlwind116116
Total Fighters45050,8972,07753,424
-------
BombersAustraliaBritainCanadaIndiaNew ZealandSouth Africa
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley1,7801,780
Avro Lancaster7,3074307,377
Avro Lincoln616
Avro Manchester202202
Fairey Barracuda 2,6072,607
Blackburn Skua 192192
Bristol Beaufighter3645,5645,928
Bristol Beaufort7001,4292,129
Bristol Blenheim5,5196266,145
Bristol Buckingham119119
de Havilland Mosquito2126,1991,1347,545
Fairchild SBF &
CCF SBW Helldiver		1,1341,134
Fairey Albacore 800800
Fairey Swordfish 2,3962,396
Handley Page Halifax6,1786,178
Handley Page Hampden152160312
Short Stirling2,3832,383
Vickers Wellington11,46111,461
Total Bombers1,34944,3913,01954,577
-------
Reconnaissance & patrolAustraliaBritainCanadaIndiaNew ZealandSouth Africa
Bristol Bolingbroke676626
Bristol Bombay 5151
Blackburn Botha580580
Blackburn Shark1717
Consolidated Canso721993
Piper Cub150150
Saro Lerwick2121
Supermarine Sea Otter292292
Short Seaford1010
Short Sunderland767767
Supermarine Stranraer3939
Supermarine Walrus746746
Taylorcraft Auster1,8001,800
Vickers Warwick845845
Total reconnaissance5,1128826,937
-------
TransportAustraliaBritainCanadaIndiaNew ZealandSouth Africa
Airspeed Horsa5,0005,000
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle602602
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley1,8141,814
Avro Lancastrian82682
Avro York2591259
CAC Gliders88
De Havilland Australia DHA-G1/G288
de Havilland Dragon Dominie474474
de Havilland Flamingo1414
General Aircraft Hamilcar
412412
General Aircraft Hotspur
1,0151,015
Miles Messenger9393
Miles Monitor2222
Noorduyn Norseman861861
Northrop/Canadian-Vickers Delta1919
Percival Petrel77
Short S.2633
Slingsby Hengist
1818
Westland Lysander
1,4452251,670
total Transports1611,2601,11212,381
-------
TrainersAustraliaBritainCanadaIndiaNew ZealandSouth Africa
Airspeed Oxford8,5868,586
Avions Fairey Tipsy B1515
Avro Anson8,4883,19711,685
Bristol Buckmaster112112
CAC Wackett202202
CAC Wirraway755755
de Havilland Don3030
de Havilland Moth Minor100100
de Havilland Tiger Moth1,0805,7381,7481508,716
Fairchild Cornell 1,6421,642
Fairey Battle2,2012,201
Fleet Finch606606
Fleet Fort101101
Hawker Henley200200
Harlow PC-555055
Miles Magister1,3031,303
Miles Martinet1,7241,724
Miles Master3,2503,250
Miles Mentor4545
North American Harvard3,9853,985
Percival Proctor1,1431,143
Total Trainers2,03732,93511,2845015046,456
-------
OtherAustraliaBritainCanadaIndiaNew ZealandSouth AfricaEmpire
Prototypes2611
Other782
Total other21393144
-------
Grand Total3,854144,73418,377501500173,759

Aircraft – Allies – France, Poland and minor powers

Production numbers until the time of the German occupation of the respective country.
Some types listed were in production before the war, those listed were still in production at the time of or after the Munich crisis.
FightersBelgiumCzechoslovakiaDenmarkFranceNetherlandsPolandYugoslaviaTotal
Avia B.534-IV/Bk.534274
Caudron CR.71490
Dewoitine D.520403
Fokker D.XXI10110120
Koolhoven F.K.5820
Avions Fairey Fox VI/VII106
Fokker G.I63
Hawker Hurricane I1520
Ikarus IK-212
Rogozarski IK-312
Bloch MB.151/152636
Morane-Saulnier MS.4061,077
Potez 630/631280
PZL.50 Jastrząb
PZL P.24118
Arsenal VG.33/36/3940
Total121274102,526193119 443,287
--------
AttackBelgiumCzechoslovakiaDenmarkFranceNetherlandsPolandYugoslaviaTotal
Breguet Br.690230
Latécoère 298
121
Loire-Nieuport LN.4068
Fairey P.4/34
Rogožarski PVT61
Total41961480
--------
BombersBelgiumCzechoslovakiaDenmarkFranceNetherlandsPolandYugoslaviaTotal
Aero A.10164
Aero A.30419
Amiot 351/35480
Avia B-7161
Fairey Battle I18
Fokker C.X/Fokker C.XI53
Dornier Do 17K70
Farman F.222.2/F.22325
LeO 45452
LWS-6 Żubr17
Bloch MB.131143
Bloch MB.174/17579
Bloch MB.210298
Potez 63355
PZL.37120
PZL.4354
PZL.462
Rogožarski SIM-XIV-H19
Fokker T.V16
Fokker T.VIII36
Total181441,132105193891,681

Aircraft - Axis - All

Occupied countries produced weapons for the Axis powers. Figures are for the period of occupation only.

FightersBelgiumBulgariaCzechNetherlandsFinlandFranceGermanyHungaryItalyJapanPolandRomaniaYugoslaviaTotal
Mitsubishi A6M Zero10,939
Nakajima A6M2-N327
Arado Ar 24014
Avia B-13512
Avia B-53478
Bachem Ba 34936
Messerschmitt Bf 10933,14230933,984
Messerschmitt Bf 1106,1706,170
Macchi C.200/Macchi C.202/Macchi C.2052,766
Fiat CR.2512
Fiat CR.421,782
Dewoitine D.520440
Dornier Do 17Z-7/Z-1012
Dornier Do 33537
Caproni Vizzola F.514
Koolhoven F.K.526
Focke-Wulf Fw 19020,000
Fiat G.50 Freccia666
Fiat G.55 Centauro305
Heinkel He 10025
Heinkel He 11260
Heinkel He 162320
Heinkel He 219300
IAR 80346
Nakajima J1N479
Mitsubishi J2M621
Kawasaki Ki-10283
Nakajima Ki-273,399
Nakajima Ki-435,919
Nakajima Ki-441,227
Kawasaki Ki-451,701
Kawasaki Ki-613,159
Nakajima Ki-843,514
Kawasaki Ki-100395
Bloch MB.15035
Messerschmitt Me 163 /Mitsubishi J8M3707377
Messerschmitt Me 2621,433
Mörkö-Morane41-
Morane-Saulnier MS.41074
Kawanishi N1K1,435
PZL P.24252550
Reggiane Re.2000, 2001, 2002 & 2005204531735
IMAM Ro.4435
IMAM Ro.5775
Ambrosini SAI.20714
Focke-Wulf Ta 152 & Focke-Wulf Ta 154200these are unrelated types.
VL Myrsky51
VL Pyry41
Total90613354962,1165136,20033,4052537196,551
--------------
AttackBelgiumBulgariaCzechNetherlandsFinlandFranceGermanyHungaryItalyJapanPolandRomaniaYugoslavia
Nakajima B5N1,149
Nakajima B6N1,268
Aichi B7A114
Breda Ba.65218
Breda Ba.88149
Aichi D3A1,486
Yokosuka D4Y2,038
CANSA FC.1211
CANSA FC.206
Heinkel He 115138
Heinkel He 11815
Henschel Hs 123250
Henschel Hs 129865
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka6,500
Mitsubishi Ki-512,385
Kawasaki Ki-102238
Aichi M6A28
Messerschmitt Me 210400272672
Messerschmitt Me 4101,189
Yokosuka MXY7852
Fiat RS.14188
Savoia-Marchetti SM.8534
Total9,0922726069,55830,903
BombersBelgiumBulgariaCzechNetherlandsFinlandFranceGermanyHungaryItalyJapanPolandRomaniaYugoslavia
Aero A.3044
Arado Ar 234210
Bloch MB.174/17538-
Fiat BR.20 Cicogna602
Caproni Ca.135140
Caproni Ca.309-3141,516
Dornier Do 2230
Dornier Do 17E/F405
Dornier Do 17K14
Dornier Do 17M/P/R/S/U448
Dornier Do 17Z875
Dornier Do 215105
Dornier Do 2171,025
Fieseler Fi 16714
Focke-Wulf Fw 200276
Mitsubishi G3M1,048
Mitsubishi G4M2,435
Heinkel He 1117,300
Heinkel He 1771,190
IAR 37380
16,517
Kaproni-Bulgarski KB.624
Mitsubishi Ki-212,064
Mitsubishi Ki-30704
Kawasaki Ki-32854
Kawasaki Ki-481,997
Nakajima Ki-49819
Mitsubishi Ki-67/Mitsubishi Ki-109767
LeO 45162-
Piaggio P.10835
Yokosuka P1Y1,102
Kyushu Q1W153
Letov Š-32880
Savoia-Marchetti SM.791,35064
Savoia-Marchetti SM.82379
Savoia-Marchetti SM.84246
Weiss WM-21128
CANT Z.506B320
CANT Z.1007660
CANT Z.101815
Total248420028,4091285,26311,94338044,802

Wartime Production: Canada

Canadian military production increased dramatically throughout the duration of World War 2. These include things like: trucks, tanks, airplanes, naval vessels, etc.
Type of EquipmentEquipment NameNumber ProducedNotes
TransportationTrucks800,000+The majority of these trucks were built under the Canadian Military Pattern truck program.
168,000 were used by the Canadian military.
38% or 304,000 were used by the British military.
The remaining 328,000 went to the Soviet Union and other allies.
Canada produced more trucks throughout the war than Germany, Italy, and Japan combined.
ArmourTanks50,000
Large Calibre GunsAnti-air, naval guns, field guns.40,000
Small Calibre GunsPistols, rifles, machine guns, etc.1,700,000
Winter TransportationSnowmobiles450
Large Calibre Guns - SPSexton 25 lb Self Propelled Guns2,150
Light Transportation4x4 Trucks4,000Light duty transportation on a 4x4 chassis. Used for ambulances, personnel carriers, etc.
Merchant Marine10,000 ton transportation vessels348Park class of ships.
Corvette ClassFlower class corvette???
AircraftVarious types of airplanes10,000 planes sent to the UK.
The remainder are split between the Commonwealth Air Training Program and the US Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP)


Propaganda posters

Table data

Personnel -Allied - British Empire

  • Australia 2]
  • "Facts & Information"] Canada at War July 4, 2009
  • http://idsa.in/system/files/IndiaWorldWarII.pdf India 3 idsa.in
  • Malay
  • Netherlands
  • Netherlands
  • Newfoundland
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • South Africa
*

Personnel - Axis

  • Volunteers, Ailsby 2004

Raw materials

  • The Mineral Industry of the British Empire and Foreign Countries, Statistical Summary 1938–1944, The Imperial Institute, HMSO, 1948
  • The Mineral Industry of the British Empire and Foreign Countries, Statistical Summary 1941–1947, The Imperial Institute, HMSO, 1949

Official histories

History of the Second World War, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London 1949 to 1993Official History of Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Australian Government Printing Service, 1952 to 1977