It is crucial in history because the Second World War impacted more on the aspects of life and changed many industries. Among the most dramatic changes, one could speak of the car industry as perhaps one of the most affected by those years’ transformations.
In addition to the battlefield, earlier wars heavily shaped the automotive and production engineering, as well as the global car dealer marketplace such as Dyler.
This article explains the background of car industry before the war, changes that occurred during the war, and the shifts that made the changes a permanent feature in the car industry.
Pre-War Automotive Landscape
A study into the history of car manufacturing shows that the industry was already on continuous innovation and expansion before the Second World War. These periods across the decade of the 1920s – 1930s witnessed manifold developments in car design and production.
Repetitiveness that came with the Fordism meant that cars began to be produced in massive numbers partly due to assembly line developed by Ford for the Model T.
The American car makers like General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler still had a strong foothold in America while European manufacturers such as including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Fiat were also busy evolving auto technology.
The 1930s included streamlined shape and design, high power and speed, and additional levels of comfort. However, the coming of the Second World War in the late 1930s was seen to bring a tip of the light into these advancements. When there were signs of war, car making industries greatly changed their focus in these countries.
Production and Innovation During Military Period
However, when World War II started, the industry of cars underwent a complete revolution. The automobile companies were quickly converted to serve the demands of the war.
Sedan and convertibles passes converting factories into tanks, jeeps and military trucks production. Such transition was not only a change of an object; it was a change of a paradigm in terms of processes and values.
The Arsenal of Democracy
In the United States, the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the industrial effort as ‘The Arsenal of Democracy’. The American car manufacturers had a big role to play in this.
Other industries including automobile: Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler stopped civilian car production and concentrated in manufacturing of military vehicles, aircraft engine, and other war related products.
Ford’s Willow Run plant was one of those that gained fame due to the high-speed production of B-24 liberator bombers.
Technological Advancements
The war on the other hand helped boost technology advancement. Concerns for long-lasting, dependable and high-performance military vehicles spurred remarkable development in engine, materials, and manufacturing technologies.
Four-wheel drive tractors adopted from the military for civilian cars set the stage for what is now known as today’s SUV.
Post-War Boom and Global Expansion
The year 1945 could be considered as a point when the car manufacturing industry entered the phase of its development. The technology and production improvements made during the course of the war laid the foundation of a post-war automotive industry.
Economic Prosperity
There has been some degree of economic development after the II WW causing car purchase to appeal to people. In the United States the GI Bill provided for a veteran’s education and home purchase as well as post-war buys increased car sales.
And people quickly asked for automobiles and therefore there was a time of rapid growth for the automobile industry.
Innovation and Design
After war the car design and the innovation was at a high peak once again. The manufacturers of these new war-like products cash in on the progression of technology that occurred in the war.
It laid down trends with addendum trappings like automatic transmissions, power steering and better suspension systems.
Shiny metallic colours, curves and sleek looks symbolised the growing post war confidence and the tail fin and chrome bumper became two of the era’s most famous car designs.
Global Expansion
World War II positively affected the evolution of the international automotive market as well. European manufacturers that were striving to rise from the ashes decided to concentrate on small and cheap cars.
These years introduced new names such as Volkswagen and the Beetle and also the Japanese car makers like Toyota and Honda etc.
That pressure from European and Japanese automobile makers made American automobile makers to up their game, increase the quality of their automobiles, and move the industry forward.
Long-Term Impacts on the Car Industry
Evidently, the modifications that WWII instigated in the car industry still persist in its system to date.
Military Technology in Civilian Cars
Technologies that were introduced for military vehicles created their way into mass-market cars. The move from carburetors to fuel injection, the invention and subsequent refinement of turbo charging and the proliferation of automatic transmission can all be traced back to WW II.
Manufacturing Techniques
The war-up to provided the stimulus that hastened the dependence upon mass production and the practice of quality control.
Toyota’s lean manufacturing, implemented after the war pushed many lessons learned in the war. All these techniques brought a dramatic change in car manufacturing, by helping to reduce the cost of the entire process.
Market Dynamics
The war also shook the world car industry in terms of the distribution of the market as well. Casting its gaze on the fact that European and Japanese manufacturers had to reinvent their industries from the ground up, they took the efficiency of and stewardship of quality to heart.
This focus made them make reliable fuel efficient vehicles that were convenient for a large number of clients. These manufacturers brought effective competition into the car manufacturing market of America and created more diverse market globally.
Wrapping Up
Second world war marked as one of the biggest revolutions in the car industry. The conversion from normal to war production put a lot of pressure on the manufacturers to introduce new technologies as well as methods.
Many of these changes paved the way to post-war development for the boom in car designing, manufacturing and market shifts globally.
The impact of war up to even today can seen in the car industry for technology not forgetting employment policies. For instance, it is imperative that while we drive modern cars with many features and comforts many times take for granted the history behind these features.