--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When World War II began, the high-octane…" description: "\"“When World War II began, the high-octane fuel was used in bombing raids by German pilots. Like Davis, the Koch family benefited from the venture. Raym..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/jane-mayer-1031_business_when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane_2147322.jpg" --- # When World War II began, the high-octane fuel was used in… ![“When World War II began, the high-octane fuel was used in bombing raids by German pilots. Like Davis, the Koch family benefited from the venture. Raymond Stokes, director of the Centre for Business History at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and co-author of a history of the German oil…” quote by Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/jane-mayer-1031_business_when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane_2147322.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/jane-mayer-1031_business_when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane_2147322.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/jane-mayer-1031_business_when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane_2147322.jpg) > ““When World War II began, the high-octane fuel was used in bombing raids by German pilots. Like Davis, the Koch family benefited from the venture. Raymond Stokes, director of the Centre for Business History at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and co-author of a history of the German oil industry during the Nazi years, Faktor Öl (The oil factor), which documents the company’s role, says, “Winkler-Koch benefited directly from this project, which was designed to help enable the fuel policy of the Third Reich.”” [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how German oil firms profited from WWII fuel policies, linking corporate benefit to Nazi war efforts. **In simple terms:** German oil firms profited from Nazi fuel policies. Key Takeaway Recognize corporate complicity in wartime economies. Themes history corporate ethics war energy history politics Mood critical reflective Type historical analytical When to use this quote - historical analysis - business ethics courses - policy review - public awareness Key Concepts profit motive state collaboration war economy Questions to Reflect On - How do modern companies benefit from conflict zones? - What responsibilities do businesses have in wartime? A Different Perspective Corporate profit often depends on unethical state agendas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Oil industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oil-industry/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [“Radicals: A Koch Family History Oddly enough, the fiercely libertarian Koch family owed part of its fortune to two of history’s most infamous dictators,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/radicals-a-koch-family-history-oddly-enough-the-fiercely-libertarian/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“As early as 1913, the oil industry used its clout to win a special tax loophole, the “oil depletion allowance.” On the theory that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/as-early-as-1913-the-oil-industry-used-its-clout-to-win-a-special-tax/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“David Koch’s 1980 campaign served as a bridge between LeFevre’s radical pedagogy and the Tea Party movement. Indeed the Libertarian Party’s standard-bearer that year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/david-koch-s-1980-campaign-served-as-a-bridge-between-lefevre-s/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“It would be necessary to use ambiguous and misleading names, obscure the true agenda, and conceal the means of control. This is the method…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/it-would-be-necessary-to-use-ambiguous-and-misleading-names-obscure/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“What happened? We had bad data,” a Koch insider conceded after it was over. They had counted on an electorate less diverse than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/what-happened-we-had-bad-data-a-koch-insider-conceded-after-it-was/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [David and Charles Koch are pretty much as far right as you can get on the ideological spectrum without falling off. They are far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/david-and-charles-koch-are-pretty-much-as-far-right-as-you-can-get-on/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“In 1976, with a contribution of some $65,000 from Charles Koch, the Center for Libertarian Studies in New York City was launched and soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/in-1976-with-a-contribution-of-some-65-000-from-charles-koch-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“What the Koch network needed to do, he said, was to persuade moderate, undecided voters that the “intent” of economic libertarians was virtuous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/what-the-koch-network-needed-to-do-he-said-was-to-persuade-moderate/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“One former insider in the Kochs’ realm, who declined to be named because he feared retribution, described the early donor summits as a clever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/one-former-insider-in-the-kochs-realm-who-declined-to-be-named/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“In 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database revealed Koch Industries to be the number one producer of toxic waste in the country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/in-2012-the-environmental-protection-agency-s-database-revealed-koch/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [ In fact, Charles Koch tried to get \[Mike\] Pence to run for the White House in 2012. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/in-fact-charles-koch-tried-to-get-mike-pence-to-run-for-the-white/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“The next morning, readers of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal opened their papers to see a full-page ad paid for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-next-morning-readers-of-the-new-york-times-and-the-wall-street/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Cato was devoted to espousing Charles Koch’s vision: that government’s only legitimate role was to “serve as a night watchman, to protect individuals and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/cato-was-devoted-to-espousing-charles-koch-s-vision-that-government-s/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“This faction hoped to use their wealth to advance a strain of conservative libertarian politics that was so far out on the political fringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/this-faction-hoped-to-use-their-wealth-to-advance-a-strain-of/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“The numbers regarding Koch Industries’ pollution were incontrovertible. In 2012, according to the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory database, which documents the toxic and carcinogenic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-numbers-regarding-koch-industries-pollution-were-incontrovertible/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) ## More by Jane Mayer > [“David Brock, a conservative apostate who became a liberal activist, described the Heritage Foundation, where he was a young fellow, as almost completely under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/david-brock-a-conservative-apostate-who-became-a-liberal-activist/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“The early think tank was not a spy operation, but it was funded by wealthy men who had no objections to using pretexts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-early-think-tank-was-not-a-spy-operation-but-it-was-funded-by/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Americans for Prosperity annoyed some of the Tea Partiers,” recalls the libertarian blogger Ralph Benko. “These people drove up, opened the door, put T-shirts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/americans-for-prosperity-annoyed-some-of-the-tea-partiers-recalls-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“When Barack Obama took office, the fossil fuel industry was not only eager to preserve its perks but also more militant in its opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/when-barack-obama-took-office-the-fossil-fuel-industry-was-not-only/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [If you have an informed electorate, it makes great choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/if-you-have-an-informed-electorate-it-makes-great-choices/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [ One of the oddities of this election is the man that \[Donald\] Trump chose as his vice-president, Mike Pence, is one of the Kochs'… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/one-of-the-oddities-of-this-election-is-the-man-that-donald-trump/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“The candidates promised to cut taxes for those in the highest brackets, preserve Wall Street loopholes, tolerate the off-shoring of manufacturing jobs and profits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-candidates-promised-to-cut-taxes-for-those-in-the-highest/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Amway in fact was structured to avoid federal taxes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/amway-in-fact-was-structured-to-avoid-federal-taxes/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“radicals in Congress refused to back down, bringing virtually the entire federal government to a halt for sixteen days in October, leaving the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/radicals-in-congress-refused-to-back-down-bringing-virtually-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [What I write about is how much influence it's had in things like state legislatures and governorships and congressional races. The other thing that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/what-i-write-about-is-how-much-influence-it-s-had-in-things-like/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Two months into their tenure, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee also led a crusade against alternative, renewable energy programs. They successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/two-months-into-their-tenure-republicans-on-the-house-energy-and/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [ \[The Kochs\] they hate big government. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-kochs-they-hate-big-government/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Rob Reich, a professor of political science at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, explains that private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/rob-reich-a-professor-of-political-science-at-stanford-university-and/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“During the previous eight years of Republican rule, this conservative corporate elite had consolidated its power, amassing enormous sway over the U.S. government’s regulatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/during-the-previous-eight-years-of-republican-rule-this-conservative/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Noble again chose Larry McCarthy, the veteran media consultant who was known for his ability to distill a complicated subject into a simple, potent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/noble-again-chose-larry-mccarthy-the-veteran-media-consultant-who-was/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) [Explore all 305 Jane Mayer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When World War II began, the high-octane fuel was used in bombing raids by German pilots. Like Davis, the Koch family benefited from the venture. Raymond Stokes, director of the Centre for Business History at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and co-author of a history of the German oil industry during the Nazi years, Faktor Öl (The oil factor), which documents the company’s role, says, “Winkler-Koch benefited directly from this project, which was designed to help enable the fuel policy of the Third Reich.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Mayer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane-fuel-was-used-in-bombing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane-fuel-was-used-in-bombing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/jane-mayer-1031_business_when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane_2147322.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/jane-mayer-1031_business_when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane_2147322.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/jane-mayer-1031_business_when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane_2147322.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When World War II began, the high-octane fuel was used in bombing raids by German pilots. Like Davis, the…” — Jane Mayer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jane Mayer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When World War II began, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane-fuel-was-used-in-bombing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/when-world-war-ii-began-the-high-octane-fuel-was-used-in-bombing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```