Military Industrialization of Uzbekistan in 1941—1945

Abstract

The influence of the Great Patriotic War on the restructuring of the industry of Uzbekistan is considered. The materials of the National Archives of Uzbekistan are used, some of which have not been published before. It is reported that in the pre-war years, the economy of Uzbekistan was dominated by agriculture and the war became a new period of industrialization of the republic. It is stated that during the war years, during the mass evacuation, Uzbekistan received about 190 industrial enterprises from the western regions of the USSR. It is stated that such a large-scale evacuation of industry, on the one hand, created difficulties associated with the placement of equipment and people, and on the other hand, formed a disproportionately expanded industrial potential of Uzbekistan. Attention is focused on the fact that the economy withstood the main difficulties of restructuring industry on a war footing. It is proved that the new industrial centers of the country began to be of great importance for the military economy of the USSR. It is emphasized that the people of Uzbekistan heroically worked on the construction of new plants and factories, as well as on the restoration of evacuated enterprises, which, among other things, made it possible to solve the issue of a stable supply of the army with weapons, and the industry with raw materials and minerals.