this post was submitted on 17 Oct 2023
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That's a good distinction. Even most anti-war people would probably do everything in their power to repel an existential threat on their soil, to say nothing of the cost.
Wonder what Ukraine's GDP spending percent is?
For 2024 their draft budget allocates "over half" of the whole budget towardds defence spending (Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-plans-big-rise-defence-spending-2024-draft-budget-2023-09-15/), which corresponds to roughly 30% GDP.
I am not sure whether military aid that they get for free is counted in that budget. If not, the total amount of money spent for Ukraine's defence will be a lot higher than the >50% from the budget or ~30% of the GDP.
Also, take note that the GDP is usually (as also in the specific case of the Ukraine) reduced by a lot in case of a war on home soil. Major parts of the Ukrainian industry have been destroyed or occupied and plundered by Russia.
So even if they wouldn't change their defence budget, lowering the GDP would increase defence spending as percentage of GDP.
But obviously they did increase the defence spending, so both effects come together to push the percentage of GDP quite high.
Self-inflicted existential threat, but existential threat none the less.
When the war went south for the Nazis, their leadership (driven by Hitler) became convinced that they were loosing because "the German people have become degenerated and weak" (not a direct quote, can't be bothered to dig through Nazi quotes). So they wanted to punish the people for that by going all-out in their war efforts. They sent children and ols people to die even though (or maybe even because) they knew they would lose regardless. They did use scorched earth tactics on their own land, leaving nothing behind, purpously so that their people would suffer.
Even in the days before capitulation, when everyone knew that the Nazis where done, they sent even more people in to fight and die in that lost war.
Tbh, I'm surprised they didn't spend more than 25% GDP on the war. Probably because nobody would lend them money at that stage and they have used up all their reserves by then.
But lucky us Central Europeans that they mismanaged so much and where so bad at basic strategy.