It takes a generation to create new workers. A quarter of a century before, you had men who went to war and die instead of a factory and stay alive. Now you have a new generation where men didn't need to go to war.

Perhaps. Seems to me that if that was the principal reason for the change, then the transition would be smoothed over several years.

It is not. It just added a bit to the effect, I'd put it as secondary or less.

Thanks, it is nice to see different perspectives!