WI: Deindustrialization as a tool of domination?

[Lycaon pictus]

You all know about the Morgenthau Plan, I assume. One of the many reasons it was rejected was that Germany couldn't feed itself on its own land without industry and trade. It occurred to me that deindustrialization might be used in other contexts, on countries capable of surviving as subsistence farmers.

Suppose that, by the power of handwave, the Nazis had managed to establish even temporary military control of the whole Soviet Union, or that by the power of the ASBs Japan had conquered all of China. If the invaders had tried to deindustrialize both countries, destroying every factory and every electrical plant and putting a bullet in every internal-combustion engine, (a) could they have done it, or at least come anywhere near close to it, and (b) how would this have affected the ability of the occupied countries to resist? I'm not talking so much about the ability of the Russians and the Chinese to make weapons (there's still plenty of weaponry lying around from the war) as the need for a much larger percentage of the population to be put to work farming full-time, limiting the number who could engage in insurgency.

(For the purposes of this inquiry, we're leaving out how the rest of the world would respond to this. And yes, this would turn the occupied lands into economic dead zones, with the expected effects on the economies of Germany and Japan.)

 

[EternalCynic]

Occupying Russia and China will become a massive liability for both Germany and Japan, since the home countries will be squeezed to the breaking point (not to mention guarding vulnerable supply lines) providing armaments to the occupying force across a massive landmass. It will be far easier to have a compliant regime in both countries which will allow all coal and iron mines to be controlled by the occupying power, and allow a massive supply chain solely dedicated to supplying the occupying force (which within years will include many brainwashed locals) to exist. And besides, in the case of China the entire country was already almost entirely of peasants using medieval tools, and that still didn't prevent them from joining the resistance in their millions.

 

[BlondieBC]

Occupying Russia and China will become a massive liability for both Germany and Japan, since the home countries will be squeezed to the breaking point (not to mention guarding vulnerable supply lines) providing armaments to the occupying force across a massive landmass. It will be far easier to have a compliant regime in both countries which will allow all coal and iron mines to be controlled by the occupying power, and allow a massive supply chain solely dedicated to supplying the occupying force (which within years will include many brainwashed locals) to exist. And besides, in the case of China the entire country was already almost entirely of peasants using medieval tools, and that still didn't prevent them from joining the resistance in their millions.

It will be easier yes, but at least for Hitler, he will likely de-industrialize by killing the Urban lesser races. Planning documents show that Poles would only be used to manual task, often farming. There education would be limited to counting to 100, signing there name, and few other tasks. Basically a Kindergarten level education. For the Poles, Russians, and Slavic peoples, he imagined a hugely labor intensive farm system supervised by German land owners. Basically a slave system much like the Southern USA had before they civil war. Given time, Hitler would have done it. I would guess if the Eastern Front Stalemates for say 5 years, Hitler would achieve the goal. I also think he would have moved all factories back to safer areas in Central Europe, to avoid bombing raids.

Japan had a different mindset. They want to be the newest Chinese dynasty, and rule and use, not destroy China. The Manchurians (a separate ethnic group from the Han) had done this for several hundred years, as had the Mongols centuries before. The Japanese would have moved some factories, based on military or economic needs.

 

[Fabilius]

Japan had a different mindset. They want to be the newest Chinese dynasty, and rule and use, not destroy China. The Manchurians (a separate ethnic group from the Han) had done this for several hundred years, as had the Mongols centuries before. The Japanese would have moved some factories, based on military or economic needs.

Japanese dynasty would´ve been so awesome. Moving the Japanese emperor to Beijing would´ve been ASBish sadly but cool.

 

[Intosh]

It will be easier yes, but at least for Hitler, he will likely de-industrialize by killing the Urban lesser races. Planning documents show that Poles would only be used to manual task, often farming. There education would be limited to counting to 100, signing there name, and few other tasks. Basically a Kindergarten level education. For the Poles, Russians, and Slavic peoples, he imagined a hugely labor intensive farm system supervised by German land owners. Basically a slave system much like the Southern USA had before they civil war. Given time, Hitler would have done it. I would guess if the Eastern Front Stalemates for say 5 years, Hitler would achieve the goal. I also think he would have moved all factories back to safer areas in Central Europe, to avoid bombing raids.

Germany used millions of slave labor in industries during the war.

"To protect german race from contacts with the untermensch", the Germans can decide to let the industries in the occupied territories and let their slaves worked there.

 

[EternalCynic]

It will be easier yes, but at least for Hitler, he will likely de-industrialize by killing the Urban lesser races. Planning documents show that Poles would only be used to manual task, often farming. There education would be limited to counting to 100, signing there name, and few other tasks. Basically a Kindergarten level education. For the Poles, Russians, and Slavic peoples, he imagined a hugely labor intensive farm system supervised by German land owners. Basically a slave system much like the Southern USA had before they civil war. Given time, Hitler would have done it. I would guess if the Eastern Front Stalemates for say 5 years, Hitler would achieve the goal. I also think he would have moved all factories back to safer areas in Central Europe, to avoid bombing raids.

Which is yet more proof that not only was Hitler completely insane, he was also strategically stupid.

Japan had a different mindset. They want to be the newest Chinese dynasty, and rule and use, not destroy China. The Manchurians (a separate ethnic group from the Han) had done this for several hundred years, as had the Mongols centuries before. The Japanese would have moved some factories, based on military or economic needs.

If that had happened then the Japanese will cease to exist as a distinct cultural identity within a few generations.

 

[BlondieBC]

Japanese dynasty would´ve been so awesome. Moving the Japanese emperor to Beijing would´ve been ASBish sadly but cool.

The did not want to rule China from Beijing, but they did want to rule China. China had been ruled by a much smaller, foreign power a few generations before, and I believe Japan was trying to rule and exploit China in the same way. The Japanese (like the Manchurians) hold the power and are 100% of the soldiers in China. The Chinese do the work, the Japanese get the spoils.

 

[Hrvatskiwi]

Pol pot attempted to use deindustrialisation to control Cambodia. And it worked. It took an invasion by Vietnam to kick him out of power.

 

[Mark-ITSOT]

I'd say de-industrialisation was a major tool of the Domination.

Oh wait...

 

[BlondieBC]

If that had happened then the Japanese will cease to exist as a distinct cultural identity within a few generations.

That is an interesting point you bring up. When i went to China, the tour guide for Forbidden City said that was exactly what had happened to Manchurian people.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

The did not want to rule China from Beijing, but they did want to rule China. China had been ruled by a much smaller, foreign power a few generations before, and I believe Japan was trying to rule and exploit China in the same way. The Japanese (like the Manchurians) hold the power and are 100% of the soldiers in China. The Chinese do the work, the Japanese get the spoils.

How about an old capital, that is in japanese power range? Nankin? Silly, but... who know..