British Tank Production and the War Economy, 1934-1945.

Cover; HalfTitle; Title; Copyright; Contents; Acknowledgements; List of Tables; List of Figures; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1 Government and Industry during Disarmament and Rearmament; Military requirements after the First World War; Government influence upon the peacetime armaments industry; Industrial capabilities upon rearmament; War orders during rearmament; Increasing industrial capacity; The effect of rearmament upon industrial activity; Air raid precautions; Conclusion; 2 Government and Industry during Wartime; Government and industry; Priority of armaments production.

Industrialists on the five Tank BoardsLocation of industry; Increasing industrial capacity; Air raid precautions, bombing and factory dispersal; Conclusion; 3 General Staff Requirements and Industrial Capabilities; The changing terms of reference of each Tank Board; The cost of Infantry and Cruiser tanks; Transformation of industry to quality production; Deciding upon the Meteor engine; Increasing armour protection; Changing to peacetime production; Conclusion; 4 The Tank Workforce and Industrial Output; Public opinion towards industry and the war effort; Skilled labour and production.

Women and welding in the workplaceWorker holidays, accidents and output; Affect of strike action upon output; Conclusion; 5 Overcoming Production Problems and Delays; Shortages of materials; Poor workmanship; Inadequate inspection; Insufficient priority for spare parts; Continuation orders and cancellations; Standardization with fewer tank designs; Specialization with fewer tank firms; Simplification with fewer man-hours; Conclusion; 6 Influence of North America upon the British Tank Industry; The British tank programme in Canada; The British tank programme in the United States.

Purchasing American tanks for the British war effortAllied co-operation and exchange of information; Lend-Lease supply of American Tanks; Effect of Lend-Lease upon British industry; Conclusion; Conclusion; Appendix 1 -- Tank Specifications and Production Data by Dates of Manufacture; Appendix 2 -- British Tanks Produced by Each Firm; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

British Tank Production and the War Economy, 1934-1945 explores the under-researched experiences of the British tank industry in the context of the pressures of war. Benjamin Coombs explores the various demands placed on British industry during the Second World War, looking at the political, military and strategy pressures involved. By comparing the British tank programme with the Canadian, American, Russian and Australian equivalents, this study offers an international perspective on this aspect of the war economy. Topics covered include the premature contraction of the tank programme and dep.

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Includes bibliographical references and index.

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