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BL Oil & Gas History, Economics and Geopolitics OENA8433

Topic 3, Lecture 1: Oil at War – The Axis Powers

Dr. Karin Oerlemans

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Unit Overview
ƒ Topic 1: Introduction – The Founders
ƒ Topic 2: The Global Struggle
ƒ Topic 3: War and Strategy
ƒ Lecture 1: Oil at War – The Axis Powers
ƒ Lecture 2: Oil at war – The Allies
ƒ Lecture 3: Innovations of War
ƒ Topic 4: Oil and Gas Economics
ƒ Topic 5: Oil and Gas Technology in context
ƒ Topic 6: The Energy Industry Today

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Lecture Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this lecture you should:

ƒ Understand the contexts framing World War 2

ƒ Understand who the Axis Powers were
ƒ Begin to develop an understanding of the strategic importance
of oil as governments sought to position themselves during
World War Two

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Recommended Reading
ƒ Yergin, D. (1991). The prize: The epic quest for oil, money and
power. New York: Free Press.

ƒ Economides, M. & Oligney, R. (2000). The colour of oil. Katy:

Round Oak.

ƒ Other References:
ƒ The prize: The epic quest for oil, money and power (video): Episode
4 - War and Oil. This episode can be viewed via Google video at
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6966482233222074631&
hl=en
ƒ http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/

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Topic 3 Online Discussion Questions

ƒ “Oil – a reason for war and necessary for war”

ƒ You should take notes during the viewing of the video. On

completion you will be asked to discuss the following
questions in the online tutorial space:

ƒ A reason for war:

ƒ Why did Hitler invade Russia and the Soviet, as well as the
Caucasians?
ƒ Explain how oil was critical to Hitler’s plans for “world domination”.

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Topic Online Discussion Questions
ƒ Necessary for war:

ƒ Rommel is quoted as saying, “The bravest men can do nothing

without guns, the guns nothing without plenty of ammunition, and
neither guns nor ammunition are of much use in mobile warfare
unless there are vehicles with sufficient petrol to haul them around”.
How was the lack of fuel critical in Germany’s defeat.

ƒ Why was Japan targeting its war efforts on the East Indies and
South East Asia? Explain all the events that led up to the
Japanese’s attack on Pearl Harbor. What was Japan’s intent and
purpose in this attack? What was their error? What was the critical
role that oil supplies played in Japan’s war efforts?

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In this lecture
ƒ Contexts of war

ƒ Theatres of war

ƒ The Axis Powers

ƒ Oil – a strategic resource

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Contexts
ƒ Who?

ƒ When?

ƒ Where?

ƒ Why war?

ƒ Why the Third Reich?

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Contexts
ƒ Axis
ƒ Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo (the Razor)
ƒ Treaties between Germany, Italy, and Japan brought into being the Rome-
Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The Axis Powers thereafter became the collective term
for those countries and their allies
ƒ April 1941 – Japanese signed neutrality treaty with USSR as insurance
against attack while taking a bigger bite out of South East Asia

ƒ Allies

ƒ 1939 – Anglo/Polish/French coalition

ƒ Where – Three theatres of war

ƒ Why – room, racism, resources

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Contexts

ƒ Roman Empire, ad 117

ƒ In terms of sheer size, Rome reached its zenith under the rule of the
Emperor Trajan (ad 98-117). Trajan, an Antonine ruler, conquered
Dacia (part of modern-day Romania and Hungary) and Arabia, and won
several important victories in Parthia (Iran)

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Contexts
ƒ Holy Roman
Empire
ƒ 795 – 1806
ƒ Charlemagne 1

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Contexts
ƒ Second Reich (1871-1918)
ƒ Otto von Bismarck
ƒ Ruled by Prussia – Wilhelm 1
ƒ The German Empire was established at Versailles on January 1, 1871,
when 22 formerly independent German principalities agreed to form a
permanent union, transferring most of their sovereign rights to the
new Empire.

ƒ Third Reich (1933-1945)

ƒ Adolf Hitler, the leader of the National Socialist and German Workers’
Party (NSDAP, or Nazi Party), appointed as Reich Chancellor January
30, 1933.
ƒ Replaced the democratic Weimar Republic, established on November
9, 1918, following Germany’s defeat in World War I and a revolution in
November 1918, which overthrew the Second Reich of Kaiser William
II.

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European and African Theatres

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Asian Theatre

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The Axis Powers

ƒ Germany
ƒ Adolf Hitler
ƒ 1926 Leader of Nazis (National Socialist German worker’s party)
ƒ 1933 Reich Chancellor
ƒ 1934 Fuehrer
ƒ Modernise army
ƒ Rebuild economy
ƒ Broke reparation repayments
ƒ 1936 control of Rhineland
ƒ 1938 Annexed Austria
ƒ 1939 March annexed Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia
ƒ 1939, September 1, invaded Poland

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The Axis Powers
ƒ Italy
ƒ Benito Mussolini
ƒ Founder and leader of Fascist party
ƒ 1922 controlled government
ƒ 1925 made himself dictator
ƒ 1930’s reclaimed Pontine Marshes
ƒ Ruled Albania via a puppet regime
ƒ Consolidated power in Libya
ƒ 1935 annexed Abyssinia
ƒ Established naval base on Leros
ƒ Defeated in 1943
ƒ shot trying to escape in 1945

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The Axis Powers

ƒ Japan
ƒ Hideki Tojo
ƒ Military general
ƒ Commander in Manchuria
ƒ 1941 Prime Minister
ƒ 1944 resigned
ƒ 1948 Accepted full responsibility
ƒ 1931 seized Manchuria
ƒ 1937 war against China
ƒ 1941 December 7 attacked the US Pacific Fleet Pearl Harbour
ƒ Philippines destroyed MacArthur's air force
ƒ 1942 Took Burma, Malaya, Singapore, and the Dutch East Indies in
rapid succession

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Oil – a Strategic Resource
ƒ Fascism
ƒ Corporatism – Economic rebuilding of the state along corporate
models
ƒ Statism – authoritarian nationalist State
ƒ Expansionism & eugenics – Push into other countries to provide
‘living’ room for their super races

ƒ Axis powers few natural resources

ƒ Germany coal industry producing synthetic oils
ƒ Japan no mineral deposits – needed to ensure supply

ƒ Oil a strategic commodity – key to military decisions

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In Summary
ƒ Axis powers
ƒ Group of nations - fascist ideologies
ƒ Initiated World War 2
ƒ different theatres – Europe, Africa, and South East Asia
ƒ Room, Racism, and Resources

ƒ The allies
ƒ Oil innovations of war

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Lecture Conclusion
ƒ This is the end of Topic 3, Lecture 1
ƒ You may now progress to Topic 3, Lecture 2

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