Introduction
May 8th, 1945, was the official day that World War II ended in Europe. Known as “VE Day,” or Victory in Europe, it was celebrated throughout the continent of Europe and the United States as the multi-year war, which had claimed the lives of millions, had, at least in one theater, concluded. Although the war in the Pacific would continue until the Empire of Japan announced its intent to surrender on August 15, 1945, the liberation of Europe was an astounding morale boost and an achievement to be celebrated. The Allied victory of World War II was achieved through a combination of factors, and although bravery, bold leadership, and the strong political will of the American people were essential, the Axis defeat was achieved as a result of America’s vast energy resources, especially its oil.
American Oil was Critical to the Allied War Effort
The reliable supply of abundant American oil was key to the Allied victory in World War II. The combination of vast oil reserves and a geographic advantage of separation from Asia and Europe insulated American infrastructure from Axis attacks and served as the foundation for a dominant wartime supply chain. This supply chain included a vast number of ships assigned to bring much-needed fuel to the frontlines of both the Pacific and European theaters. This was no easy task, especially in the Atlantic, where German U-Boats constantly hunted Allied ships. It was made even more difficult because 95% of petroleum products were transported by sea at the time, which meant securing the vital resource via military escorts and planning was crucial.
Although there were plenty of known oil reserves worldwide, during the war, 60% of global oil production took place in the United States. This was possible due to the isolation of American infrastructure from the fighting, and also necessary, given the extraordinary daily demand of the Allied military machine, the extensive amount of oil available, and especially, the enormous American population; the workforce required to maintain such extensive supply chains was substantial and could only be filled by a population like the United States had. Oil was indispensable to the Allied campaign, not only because of the need for diesel and gasoline, but also because of requirements for American petroleum-based products, such as lubricants for guns, almost a million tons of synthetic rubber for tires made necessary because Japan cut off America’s supply of natural rubber, and asphalt for runways fielding extremely heavy aircraft. These products enabled the United States and the Allies to consistently resupply the war effort.
Of the many innovations and investments that took place during World War II to expand America’s oil industry to meet the incredible energy demands of the war, one of the most critical was the construction of the Big and Little Big Inch pipelines. A feat of engineering that would ensure a reliable flow of well-defended oil from East Texas to refineries in the northeast, the Big and Little Big Inch pipeline network, whose names come from the diameters of the respective pipes, was the longest petroleum engineering project undertaken in the history of the United States. Constructed between 1942 and 1943, these pipelines alleviated the pressure and vulnerability of shipping via seaborne tankers and significantly increased the volume of oil that could be transported. At full capacity, the Big Inch pipeline transported 300,000 barrels per day of oil, while the Little Big Inch pipeline transported refined products from Texas to New Jersey. Along with the extensive tanker fleet, reaching 800 vessels by the end of the war, these pipelines ensured that the Allies of World War II had an unconquerable energy supply chain.
Germany and Japan’s Oil Challenges
In contrast to the United States and the Allied Powers, Germany and Japan were at a substantial disadvantage when it came to oil abundance; although Italy was originally aligned with Germany and Japan within the Axis Powers, it was far more of a liability and did not bring much to the alliance in the form of resources, and it surrendered in 1943. Both Germany and Japan had to contend with domestic oil shortages and conducted military campaigns to attempt to secure them. To address the lack of domestic petroleum resources, Germany invested heavily in the development of synthetic petroleum sourced from its abundant coal reserves. At the time of their surrender, the Germans had constructed 22 synthetic fuel plants, which accounted for 90% of their aviation fuel requirements and 68% of their regular fuel consumption. Additionally, Germany was heavily reliant on imports from the oil fields of Ploesti, Romania, which were consequently targeted by the Allies during Operation Tidalwave in 1943, which caused significant, temporary production challenges. Such attacks on critical energy infrastructure would plague the Axis Powers throughout the war, a challenge that the United States did not have to contend with anywhere near as much.
Throughout the war, Germany was always at a disadvantage due to its lack of oil reserves, which was reflected in its desire to acquire the oil fields and refineries of Baku, Azerbaijan, during its invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, in 1941. Providing the Soviet Union with 80% of its gasoline and 96% of its lubricants, Baku falling into the hands of the Germans would have been catastrophic for the Allies’ ability to wage war from the East, and would have severely impacted the Soviet Union’s ability to fuel its war effort.
For Japan, securing energy was an even greater challenge given its lack of domestic energy resources and its geographic isolation as an island nation. This isolation became a core reason for its development and expansion of a strong navy, as it was required to transport the significant military resources needed to invade oil-rich countries like the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia). Before Japan’s extensive Pacific expansion, the United States supplied a majority of Japan’s oil, 94%. After Japan signed an agreement with Vichy France and occupied French Indochina in 1941, the United States responded by instituting a trade embargo and halting exports to Japan. This put Japan into a desperate position, as it had become heavily dependent on American trade and did not have abundant oil reserves. As a result, Japan developed plans to invade oil-rich countries in East Asia, including the Dutch East Indies, and, fearful of intervention by the United States, attacked the American Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. Although Pearl Harbor was a tactical victory for Japan and gave it the ability to achieve its objective of gaining access to East Asia’s oil reserves, Pearl Harbor was a strategic disaster, as it led the United States to officially enter the war and would lead to Japan’s eventual defeat on September 2, 1945.
Conclusion
Fueling the war effort of World War II took tremendous ingenuity and supply chain dominance. The logistical challenges, especially for the Americans, for serving as the primary fuel source for the Allied Powers, while simultaneously fighting in both Europe and the Pacific, were plentiful. Fortunately, the United States possessed an abundant supply of oil and was strategically isolated from the frontlines. The combination of America’s oil reserves and its ability to much more effectively defend its critical energy infrastructure, while maximizing damage to the critical oil infrastructure and supply chains of the Axis Powers, demonstrated a unique mastery of logistics and strategic planning unlike anything before in history. The importance of the role that oil played in fueling the Allied war effort cannot be understated. Without American oil, the Allied victory would have been far more difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
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This article is part of Fueling America: 250 Years of Energy Innovation, a special project by the Institute for Energy Research highlighting America’s unique role as a global energy innovator. To read more related content please visit Fueling250.org. 
