THE RUSSIAN AND SOVIET ECONOMIES IN 2 WORLD-WARS - A COMPARATIVE VIEW

The soviet economic mobilization for World War II was relatively intense, if not efficient, both by international standards and by the Russian standards of World War I. By comparison with 1914, the Soviet capacity for economic mobilization had been enlarged by interwar economic growth (the increased size of the economy, and its higher development level). Soviet policy and system characteristics more appropriate to wartime also played a part. These findings are further demonstrated through comparative study of the respective roles of the Russian and Soviet civilian economies in the two wars.