Tungsten in WWII: The Wolfram Crisis

Tungsten in World War II

Germany was particularly dependent on tungsten, which was essential for its war industry. The loss of key tungsten sources in Portugal and Spain early in the war led to the "Wolfram Crisis" that threatened Germany's ability to produce armored vehicles and anti-tank munitions. Germany was forced to seek alternative sources in South America, Africa, and Asia. This scarcity shaped strategic decisions and influenced Germany's military capabilities and production capacity.

Tungsten's usefulness extended beyond armor and projectiles. It was utilized for electrical contacts and filaments, strengthening steel alloys in aircraft, and in various tools and dies. Tungsten carbide's hardness made it ideal for machine tools and armor-piercing cores. The United States and Britain also relied heavily on tungsten supplies from Asia and South America to satisfy wartime demand.

In many ways, tungsten helped determine the course and outcome of armored warfare during World War II. Its unique properties allowed it to armor vehicles while also defeating that same armor. Whichever nation could obtain adequate tungsten supplies enjoyed a strategic advantage. Tungsten truly was the unsung hero that helped tip the scales of victory and defeat.

Tungsten's Impact in WWII

The history of tungsten and its importance during World War II cannot be overstated. Tungsten played a crucial role in the manufacturing of weapons and vehicles for the war efforts of both the Allied and Axis powers.

Tungsten's unique properties, such as its extremely high hardness and strength retention at high temperatures, made it invaluable for armor penetration applications. It was utilized in anti-tank rounds and grenades that could pierce heavy armor plating. Tungsten-cored ammunition gave troops a fighting chance against the heavily armored tanks that dominated the battlefields.

Additionally, tungsten's high temperature resistance allowed it to be used in the barrels and other components of firearms and artillery. This increased the durability and performance of these weapons as the wars raged on. The inclusion of tungsten parts also improved the armor strength of tanks and other armored vehicles for both sides.

The historical developments and significance of tungsten was further evidenced by the "wolfram crisis" that occurred when supply chains were disrupted. The shortage of tungsten impacted the manufacturing capabilities of both the Allies and Axis powers. Great efforts were undertaken to secure adequate tungsten supplies, demonstrating how critical it was considered.

Tungsten proved to be an essential strategic resource during World War II due to its unique properties and applications in weapons technology. Its use shaped the evolution and effectiveness of tanks, armor, firearms, artillery, and anti-tank weaponry throughout the war. The events surrounding tungsten underscore how the access to key raw materials played a deciding role in the outcome of the greatest armed conflict in human history.

The Wolfram Crisis

The "wolfram crisis" refers to the severe shortage of tungsten supplies experienced by Germany and the Axis powers during World War II.

Tungsten, also known as wolfram, played an indispensable role in the production of armaments, machinery, electrical equipment, and high-temperature alloys. However, by the late 1930s, global tungsten reserves had become dangerously depleted due to the demands of the First World War and interwar period.

As tensions mounted leading up to WWII, major powers like Germany, the United States, and Great Britain scrambled to secure stable supplies of tungsten to fuel their war efforts. This intense competition over limited tungsten reserves resulted in the "Wolfram Crisis."

The scarcity of tungsten had profound effects on industrial output and military capabilities during WWII. Without adequate tungsten supplies, nations could not produce armaments or machinery at the scale needed for modern warfare.

Germany's Dependence on Imported Tungsten

At the outbreak of WWII, Germany obtained over 80% of its tungsten from Portugal and Spain. However, in 1940 the Allies began a blockade on Germany, cutting off their foreign supply of this vital mineral. The loss of access to Portuguese and Spanish tungsten dealt a major blow to the German war industry. Suddenly, the production of steel-hardening tungsten carbide became extremely limited. This impacted Germany's ability to manufacture weapons, tanks, submarines, and machinery.

Efforts to Overcome the Shortage

Facing a critical shortage, Germany tried desperately to obtain tungsten from other sources. They pressured neutral countries like Turkey and Sweden for supplies. German troops were also sent to invade Yugoslavia in 1941, partly to gain control of their tungsten mines. Within Germany itself, the Nazi government launched scrap metal drives to recover tungsten from old tools and implements. The Germans also began developing alternative methods to harden steel, such as alloying with vanadium. However, these efforts only partially relieved the tungsten shortage.

Impact on Germany's War Production

The tungsten crisis severely hindered Germany's war manufacturing capabilities. Their production of tungsten carbide declined by an estimated 50% during the war years. The lack of tungsten limited Germany's ability to produce armored vehicles, artillery, munitions, and machinery. This contributed to the gradual erosion of Germany's military strength over the course of WWII. The Allies maintained their blockade on tungsten shipments, recognizing that keeping Germany starved of this resource could help bring down the Nazi war machine. In the end, the wolfram crisis exemplified how the strategic denial of a single critical material can have major impacts in warfare.

Germany's Quest for Tungsten

Germany relied heavily on imported tungsten for the production of weapons and machinery during World War II. Tungsten's hardness and high melting point made it ideal for use in machine tools and armor-piercing ammunition. With limited domestic sources, Germany obtained tungsten from several foreign sources:

Portugal had rich deposits of wolframite, an ore containing tungsten. Germany imported over 3,500 tons of tungsten per year from Portugal, accounting for over 60% of its supply. As the war progressed, Germany increased imports from Portugal to meet growing military demands.

Spain was another important source of tungsten for Germany. The Nazis formed close economic ties with Franco's regime to ensure steady shipments of the ore. At its peak, Spain provided Germany with around 2,000 tons of tungsten per year.

As Germany invaded and occupied countries in Eastern Europe, it gained access to additional sources of tungsten. Mines in Austria, Czechoslovakia and the Balkans boosted Germany's domestic production. However, output from these territories remained well below Portugal's contribution.

The 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact opened up trade between the two powers. The USSR sent Germany over 1,000 tons of tungsten in 1940. But after Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, this vital supply line was cut.

Germany's reliance on imported tungsten made it vulnerable to Allied disruption of its supply lines. Shortages of the metal undermined Germany's war production as the conflict dragged on. Tungsten played a key role in the Nazis' early military successes but also contributed to their eventual downfall.

Why did Germany need tungsten?

Germany relied heavily on tungsten during World War II to produce weapons and machinery needed for the war effort. Tungsten's hardness and strength made it ideal for use in armor-piercing ammunition, as well as in tools and dies needed to manufacture weapons and vehicles.

At the start of the war, Germany obtained most of its tungsten from Portugal and Spain. However, as the war progressed, Germany's supply of tungsten became strained for several reasons:

When tungsten shortages arose, Germany made efforts to increase supply. They pressured Spain and Portugal to limit tungsten exports to the Allies. Germany also looked to other sources, like mines in occupied nations, but these could not fully meet demand.

To cope with the shortages, Germany had to prioritize how it allocated tungsten. Armaments production got top priority. Germany also recycled tungsten from scrap metal and obsolete weapons. But even with these efforts, tungsten remained in short supply throughout the war.

The tungsten shortage hindered Germany's war production capabilities. For example, the production of tungsten core ammunition for anti-tank weapons was limited.

Why was Tungsten Important in WWII?

Tungsten played a critical role for both the Allied and Axis powers during World War II. Its unique properties made it invaluable for military applications at a time when the war effort heavily relied on industrial and technological advances.

For the Allies, tungsten was essential in the production of armor-piercing ammunition. The extreme hardness of tungsten allowed it to penetrate the thick steel armor of German tanks. Armor-piercing shells tipped with tungsten carbide wreaked havoc on Axis forces. Tungsten's high density also made it ideal for use in armor plating for tanks and aircraft. The Allies imported large quantities of tungsten to meet wartime demands.

On the other side, Germany relied heavily on tungsten imports and suffered from shortages when overseas supplies were cut off. Tungsten was vital to Germany for producing machinery, weapons, and other military technology. Their tanks, planes, submarines, and artillery all depended on parts made with or coated in tungsten. From barrel linings to filaments in vacuum tubes, tungsten touched nearly every area of Germany's war manufacturing.

When the Allies successfully blocked Germany's tungsten imports, it dealt a major blow to their military production capabilities. The "wolfram crisis" left Germany scrambling to find alternative sources and substitutes. Some key events influenced by tungsten shortages include:

Tungsten's Importance in Tank Manufacturing

Due to its unique properties the many early uses of tungsten and their importance can not be overstated. The role Tungsten played in tank manufacturing and design during World War II was critical. As one of the hardest and densest metals, tungsten imparts great strength and durability when added to steel alloys. This allowed tank armor to better withstand enemy fire while keeping overall weight lower compared to pure steel. Tungsten steel alloys were utilized for armor plating on tanks such as the German Tiger and Panther.

The high heat resistance of tungsten also made it ideal for armor-piercing ammunition. Kinetic energy penetrators tipped with tungsten carbide could punch through thicker and sloped steel armor. This posed a major threat to Allied tanks early in the war. However, the British eventually developed composite and spaced armor to counteract tungsten penetrators.

Role of Tungsten in Tank Armor

Steel alloyed with tungsten offered increased hardness and toughness compared to regular steel armor. The tungsten atoms reinforce the crystalline structure of steel, raising its yield and tensile strength. This allows tank armor plate to withstand heavy blows without cracking or excessive deformation.

Additionally, tungsten has a density of 19.3 g/cm3, making it twice as dense as steel. By adding tungsten to steel, the same protection could be achieved with less thickness and lower weight. This was significant since reduced mass improved mobility and made tanks less prone to getting stuck in mud.

Tungsten Carbide for Armor Piercing Ammunition

The extreme hardness of tungsten carbide allowed it to punch through tank armor that could shatter standard steel penetrators. Germany developed tungsten carbide core rounds which British tanks had little defense against early in the war, with some "virtually melting" when hit.

However, the British eventually countered this threat by developing more advanced armor designs. The addition of sloped and composite steel-ceramic layers helped deflect and erode tungsten projectiles. Proper angling and spacing of armor forced tungsten rounds to penetrate deeper before reaching the interior.

While tungsten posed a major issue early on, improved armor designs minimized its impact as the war progressed. This exemplified the back-and-forth innovations in penetrating power versus armor protection seen throughout tank warfare in World War II.