<P> Overy wrote that blitzkrieg as a "coherent military and economic concept has proven a difficult strategy to defend in light of the evidence". Milward's theory was contrary to Hitler's and German planners' intentions . The Germans, aware of the errors of the First World War, rejected the concept of organising its economy to fight only a short war . Therefore, focus was given to the development of armament in depth for a long war, instead of armament in breadth for a short war . Hitler claimed that relying on surprise alone was "criminal" and that "we have to prepare for a long war along with surprise attack". During the winter of 1939--40, Hitler demobilised many troops from the army to return as skilled workers to factories because the war would be decided by production, not a quick "Panzer operation". </P> <P> In the 1930s, Hitler had ordered rearmament programs that cannot be considered limited . In November 1937 Hitler had indicated that most of the armament projects would be completed by 1943--45 . The rearmament of the Kriegsmarine was to have been completed in 1949 and the Luftwaffe rearmament program was to have matured in 1942, with a force capable of strategic bombing with heavy bombers . The construction and training of motorised forces and a full mobilisation of the rail networks would not begin until 1943 and 1944 respectively . Hitler needed to avoid war until these projects were complete but his misjudgements in 1939 forced Germany into war before rearmament was complete . </P> <P> After the war, Albert Speer claimed that the German economy achieved greater armaments output, not because of diversions of capacity from civilian to military industry but through streamlining of the economy . Richard Overy pointed out some 23 percent of German output was military by 1939 . Between 1937 and 1939, 70 percent of investment capital went into the rubber, synthetic fuel, aircraft and shipbuilding industries . Hermann Göring had consistently stated that the task of the Four Year Plan was to rearm Germany for total war . Hitler's correspondence with his economists also reveals that his intent was to wage war in 1943--1945, when the resources of central Europe had been absorbed into the Third Reich . </P> <P> Living standards were not high in the late 1930s . Consumption of consumer goods had fallen from 71 percent in 1928 to 59 percent in 1938 . The demands of the war economy reduced the amount of spending in non-military sectors to satisfy the demand for the armed forces . On 9 September, Göring as Head of the Reich Defence Council, called for complete "employment" of living and fighting power of the national economy for the duration of the war . Overy presents this as evidence that a "blitzkrieg economy" did not exist . </P>

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