In 1940, what percentage of Germany's oil came from its own synthetic production?

• A. 60%
• B. 46%
• C. 25%
• D. 75%

Answer: (B)

Germany offset its lack of natural oil by turning coal into liquid fuel, so by 1940 nearly half of its oil came from synthetic production. The large coal-based fuel program, including processes like coal gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, had built up enough capacity to supply a significant share of domestic oil needs, but not all of it. The rest still came from imports and seized or allied sources, with Romania’s oil and other imports meeting the remainder. This mid-40s figure reflects the substantial, but not complete, reliance on synthetic production at that stage of the war.