Final answer:
Wartime production shifted American factories from civilian to military output, which led to nearly full employment, a boost in productivity, and a buildup of savings among Americans. These factors ended the Great Depression and ushered in a postwar economic boom as consumer demand soared and factories returned to producing civilian goods.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between wartime production in American factories and the end of the Great Depression is a significant historical phenomenon. The federal government's escalation of economic control during World War II meant that American factories shifted from civilian to military production. As factories produced tanks instead of automobiles and machine guns instead of sewing machines, the nation experienced an economic revamp. Unemployment rates plummeted from 15 percent in 1939 to nearly 1 percent in 1943, as defense industries required an expanded workforce. This created seventeen million new civilian jobs and a surge in productivity and output.