SilverStacker
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Before the creation of high tech "Hyper-war" the control of the nickle mines in the South Pacific/New Caledonia, as well as the huge nickle mines in Canada's Sudbury basin, produced most of the worlds high grade nickle. In the first half of the 20'th century "nickle" was probably the most critical war related metal and both Germany and Japan had no way to produce any, being almost entirely dependent on importation. And they were very cagey about hiding their nickle stockpiles in the form of coinage that they could easily recall and recycle. The fact that nickle had many attributes that made 100% nickle coinage worthy also helped hide the Axis powers sinister intent, that of rearmament. Nickle/steel alloys were far superior then other weapons related weaponry that fueled the Great Wars. Indeed nickle was worth going to war for.
And I'm not saying the Axis powers went to war for nickle alone but the strategic metal, and the acquiring of it, did play an outsized importance in the strategic decisions made by Germany and to a lesser extent Japan and Italy. It was discovered at the turn of the century that nickle/steel alloys were far superior to anything else used for the "iron plate" that protected the worlds new "super-weapons". That of the Battle-wagons or the Battleships that were thought to be the new secret to controlling the worlds oceans. And while this was eventually proved false, indeed it was the air craft carrier that ended up fitting that role, the new nickle/steel alloys proved better then anything else when it came to dispersing the energy of a "hit". The new nickle/steel plates were more flexible and better at absorbing/distributing the energy of an enemys shell. And this was just the beginning. In many, if not most, metal related weaponry of the era nickle/steel alloys proved superior to anything else.
The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought in large measure because Japan wanted control of the huge, high grade nickle deposits of New Caledonia. The fact that the allies held control of Canada's Sudbury Basin mines, by far the largest nickle mines in the world, was a strategic edge the Axis never quite over came.
Anyway I thought you'd find this article interesting so I wont both repeating its facts and just let you enjoy it. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Coins+for+the+conflict:+nickel+and+the+Axis,+1933-1945.-a013421578
And I'm not saying the Axis powers went to war for nickle alone but the strategic metal, and the acquiring of it, did play an outsized importance in the strategic decisions made by Germany and to a lesser extent Japan and Italy. It was discovered at the turn of the century that nickle/steel alloys were far superior to anything else used for the "iron plate" that protected the worlds new "super-weapons". That of the Battle-wagons or the Battleships that were thought to be the new secret to controlling the worlds oceans. And while this was eventually proved false, indeed it was the air craft carrier that ended up fitting that role, the new nickle/steel alloys proved better then anything else when it came to dispersing the energy of a "hit". The new nickle/steel plates were more flexible and better at absorbing/distributing the energy of an enemys shell. And this was just the beginning. In many, if not most, metal related weaponry of the era nickle/steel alloys proved superior to anything else.
The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought in large measure because Japan wanted control of the huge, high grade nickle deposits of New Caledonia. The fact that the allies held control of Canada's Sudbury Basin mines, by far the largest nickle mines in the world, was a strategic edge the Axis never quite over came.
Anyway I thought you'd find this article interesting so I wont both repeating its facts and just let you enjoy it. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Coins+for+the+conflict:+nickel+and+the+Axis,+1933-1945.-a013421578
