Effects of WW2 on the economy of Paris
Introduction
The Second World War greatly affected the countries that were involved among which was France. In the periods before, during, and after the war, France experienced a great deal of loss in other sectors such as agriculture and the economy in general as most efforts were directed towards getting the country ready for the war. Since Paris was the country’s most strategic point, it faced a lot of challenges that greatly contributed to the destruction of the economy, businesses and the country’s infrastructure. Although Paris had greatly improved the state of the economy after the First World War, the preparation for World War 2, participation during the war, and repairing the destruction after the war greatly affected the country’s economy, the infrastructure in targeted regions like Paris and greatly affected people’s way of living.
The main focus for this research is the impact that World War 2 had on the Paris economy. It will therefore seek to answer the questions; why was the economy of Paris affected by the war the most; how was Paris able to recover from the effects of the war; and did Paris rise back in its previous state or were there remnants of the German rule during their time in Paris during the war. The reason for choosing to focus on this topic is to demonstrate the effects that war can have on a country not only during the war but in the periods before and after. The paper will also demonstrate how a nation was able to rise from all the destruction and challenges brought about by World War 2 and become one of the great nations in the world.
Annotated bibliography
- Occhino, F., Oosterlinck, K., & White, E. (2005). How occupied France financed its own exploitation in World War II. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved from https://eml.berkeley.edu/~webfac/eichengreen/e211_fa05/white.pdf
In this article, the authors discuss how the French contributed to the economic crisis during the war by helping to Germany’s war efforts through the large sums of money paid to the Nazi’s occupying Paris. The money was collected from the French through imposed wages and price controls and then offered as payment to the Germans. The article has relevance to the research in that it shows how Paris was affected before the war when they set up imposed wages as well as the challenges that were faced during the war.
- Ehlrich B, (2019) “Paris during and after the French revolution” Encyclopedia Britannica, retrieved from, https://www.britannica.com/place/Paris/Paris-during-and-after-the-French-Revolution-1789-to-mid-19th-century
According to the authors, the damage to the economy in Paris started before the war as people started avoiding conducting business in Paris. During the warm, the situation was made even worse as taxes were levied from the French by the Germans. Despite the various attempts to prevent inflation, the German presence in Paris led to the destruction of the economy even after the war. The information is significant in that it shows the extent in which the German occupation of Paris affected its economy and how Paris was able to repair the damage caused after the war.
- Alley T and Watkins T, (2018) “The economic history and the economy of France” San Jose State University, retrieved from, http://www.applet-magic.com/france0.htm
The authors discuss the impact that the German presence in France had on the economy in areas like Paris. Having conquered the French, The Germans forced them to pay taxes as well as controlling operations that negatively affected the business in Paris. It is significant to my research as it shows the impact that the Germans had on the way business was conducted during the war and how this negatively affected the economy of Paris.
- McAuley, J. (2017). How Christian Dior rescued Paris from its postwar misery. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/how-christian-dior-rescued-paris-from-its-postwar-misery/2017/07/05/858eb506-5ab5-11e7-aa69-3964a7d55207_story.html?utm_term=.67bf54a1236b
The article discusses the efforts that the French put to rebuild France after the war. A good example of this is the case of Christin Dior, a fashion designer who had a significant impact on the reformation of Paris after the war through his fashion designs. Through such endeavors, the Paris economy slowly improved and called attention from the war to other issues such as fashion and beauty. The paper has relevance in that it shows how people came together to engage in business after the war and this greatly contributed to the economic growth in Paris.
- Kelly, M. (2008). War and culture: The lessons of post-war France. University of South Hampton. Retrieved from https://gerflint.fr/Base/RU-Irlande/kelly.pd
The authors discuss the destruction and loss that was experienced in Paris during the war. The paper has relevance in that it starts by narrating the condition that France was in before the war, the destruction that occurred during the war, and the efforts that were made by the French to restore Paris to the position it was in before the war.
Interpretations and conclusions
The economy in Paris was negatively affected by the Second World War as most of the resources were dedicated towards funding the war. During the war, the Germans took control of Paris and requested that the French pay taxes. The state capitalist system used by the Vichy for example made it difficult for business to do well and thus continued to damage the country’s economy. From the research it is evident that the destruction of the economy is mostly because Paris was a strategic point for France both in terms of the war and in relation to business as business went down during the war. From this I learnt that geographic locations play a crucial role in the success of a country as was the case with Paris.
