Final answer:
The Nazi regime addressed Germany's economic crisis through public works, rearmament, and deficit spending, focusing on infrastructure and military expansion. These policies temporarily alleviated unemployment and won public support, despite leading to inevitable shortages and being unsustainable in the long-term.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reconstruction of Economy During the Nazi Regime
The economic situation in Germany during the early 1930s was dire, with high unemployment and hyperinflation. The Nazi regime, led by Adolf Hitler, sought to reconstruct the economy and garner popular support through a variety of means. Massive public works projects, including the creation of the Autobahn system and the construction of new housing and stadiums, were employed to reduce unemployment. The Nazis adopted a policy of deficit spending, disregarding the reparation payments required by the Versailles Treaty, which were seen as unjust by the German population.
Key to revitalizing the economy was the focus on rearmament, openly breaking the terms of the Versailles Treaty. Nazi policies led to the reconstruction of the military and the redirection of resources towards building planes, ships, tanks, and weaponry. Ignoring international concerns, the military swelled to nearly a million soldiers by 1935. Employment programs and the expansion of the work week to sixty hours were examples of efforts to provide jobs, although workers could not strike or request raises.
However, this economic recovery was unsustainable in the long-term. It was financed through debt and aimed at preparing for war, circumventing an economic collapse the leadership believed imminent. The regime's prioritization of military and infrastructure growth led to food and consumable shortages, but many Germans still felt their situation had improved compared to the hardships of the preceding years.