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

The soviet economic mobilization for World War II was relatively inten se, if not efficient, both by international standards and by the Russi an standards of World War I. By comparison with 1914, the Soviet capac ity for economic mobilization had been enlarged by interwar economic g rowth (the increased size of the economy, and its higher development l evel). Soviet policy and system characteristics more appropriate to wa rtime also played a part. These findings are further demonstrated thro ugh comparative study of the respective roles of the Russian and Sovie t civilian economies in the two wars.