For example, German fighter production was at its highest in September 1944. Similarly, the Allies realized that the destruction of the oil industry that fueled the German and Italian war machine would be a major step toward an Allied victory. By September 1944, the around-the-clock bombing of the German oil industry had reduced the production of petroleum, oil and lubricants, or POL, by more than 90 percent, resulting in spreading shortages of gasoline for German mechanized and motorized divisions and several curtailments of the Luftwaffe’s pilot training program. Gasoline shortages crimped German operations everywhere in the Bulge, attributable partly to the failure to capture American stockpiles and also to lengthy traffic jams on steep, twisting, icy roads behind the lines in … This strain, which eventually paid off, was only possible thanks to the special shipment of 80,000 tons of German oil fuel, which was delivered at the end of the year. (Courtesy photo), A B-24 Liberator emerges from the heavy smoke after attacking the Xenia oil refinery at Ploesti, Romania, on August1943. German Synthetic Oil Production. Rationing was popular with the people and a Gallup Poll showed over 60 per cent in favour of this system. The production of aviation gasoline from synthetic plants dropped from 175,000 tons in April to 30,000 tons in July and 5,000 tons in September (97 percent reduction). However, by spring 1944, the Allied air forces in Europe had sufficient numbers of strategic bombers and escort fighters and had reduced the threat of the Luftwaffe to the point that they could begin the bombing of the German oil industry. In particular, the Allied operations staff began using aerial photographs to monitor the German reconstruction efforts and then would launch a new attack against a specific plant as it was nearing full production capability. At the same time, the U.S. Army was lulled into a sense of complacency by its early World War II combat experiences in North Africa and Italy. The world has not yet had to experience a real oil shortage because it can count on Saudi Arabia to increase production and pick up the slack when needed. Prior to WW2 Germany, was heavily dependent on foreign fuel imports. World War II (September 1939) Oil was a problem for Germany from the first day of the War. Mil-Tec German WWII Style 3piece Mess Kit 100 Aluminum Hygienic Premium Quality. Synthetic fuel plants were located along the North Sea, in the Ruhr Valley, and in southern parts of Europe. / Published June 26, 2019, Synthetic oil production plant at Zeitz, Germany, destroyed by an American bombing attack in 1944. Post Sep 08, 2003 #1 2003-09-08T12:35. World War II was the first fully mechanized war in history, and oil, both crude and synthetic, was a major factor in military planning. By December 1944, Albert Speer, the German Minister for Armaments and War Production, viewed the systematic attacks on Germany’s oil industry and the resulting fuel shortages as “catastrophic.”  After searching for a truly strategic target system whose destruction would strategically adversely affect the outcome of the current war from 1940 forward, the Allied air leaders found that target system in Germany’s oil industry. © Copyright 2021 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. One of his generals had a plan to do just that. Campaigns Against Oil The Most Effective? But a shortage of transport that was competing with military requirements, a shortage of drill equipment as well as drillers, and the absence of refining capacity at Maikop created such difficulties that when the German forces were compelled to withdraw from Maikop in January 1943 in order to avoid being cut off after the fall of Stalingrad, Germany had failed to … Key point: Oil, both crude and synthetic, was a major factor in military planning. To help produce the glycerin needed by the military, housewives also collected kitchen waste fats. In January, 1940, bacon, butter and sugar were rationed. This article originally appeared on the Warfare History Network. It imported oil from the Soviet Union until the German invasion of that country in June 1941 and from Hungary and Romania (25 percent of its annual requirements by 1944) after April 1941 when these two countries became German allies prior to the Soviet invasion. Additionally, this bombing campaign significantly decreased the production of nitrogen, which adversely affected the production of munitions for weapons and fertilizers for agriculture. The goal was to starve the enemy, disrupting public life and damaging the country as much as possible. Albert Speer said later that this was a decisive turning point in the war. by Warfare History Network John F. Murphy Jr. With Rommel driving on Egypt and the British pushed out of Greece, a … Between August 1942 and October 1943, the USSTAF bomber formations suffered grievous aircraft and aircrew losses from German antiaircraft defenses, especially German fighters, as the bomber formations lacked fighter escorts. Like the crude-oil production facilities at Ploesti, the synthetic-fuel facilities were well protected by German fighters and antiaircraft guns, and Allied airmen dreaded the missions against them. In addition, the Oil Plan significantly reduced the production of nitrogen, which soon produced shortages in the production of all types of munitions for weapons, fertilizers for agriculture and synthetic rubber. The German fuel shortage in World War 2 was largely responsible for the Germany losing the war. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel The legendary German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel once wrote: "The battle is fought and decided by the quartermasters before the shooting begins.". (Courtesy photo), During the oil campaign, Fifteenth Air Force flew mostly B-24 Liberator strategic bombers for its 221 missions from bases in southern Italy and dropped 48,378 tons of bombs. The overall production record in the US was quite good - from 1940-1945, America’s overall production increased by 30% from 3.7 million barrels per day to 4.7 million barrels per day. Temporarily stopped the production of POL products at these facilities use of metals in packaging urgently needed stocks of.! 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