The Second World War (1940-1945) reversed the trends in the crude birth rates of the Western countries, which started rising during and immediately after the War.
In nonbelligerent countries, such as Switzerland and Sweden, the signs of an upsurge in birth rates were noticeable even in the period immediately preceding the War.
The birth rate in these countries, therefore, reached their peak one or two years earlier than in other countries, but started declining thereafter. The course of birth rates in the belligerent countries was affected by their differential involvement in the War.
In the countries which were directly involved France, England and Wales the birth rates went up immediate after the Second World War.
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In Germany, though its birth rate rose from 16.3 per thousand populations during 1930- 1934 to 19.4 per thousand populations during 1935-1939, it declined to 17.4 during the period of the War.
In the United States, birth rates during the period of the economic depression that is, 1930-1934 and 1935-1939 were lowest (17.6 and 17.2 respectively).
During 1935-1939, the gross reproduction rate in the United States was 1.00, the lowest that had been recorded till then. During and after the Second World War, the crude birth rate in the United States recorded an upward movement.
During 1940-1944, it was 19.9; and it rose to 23.4 during 1945-1949. This upsurge in the crude birth rate continued up to 1957, when it was 25.0 per thousand populations. After 1957, a slow decline set in up to 1965 after which this decline was rapid.
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A more or less identical pattern is noticed for Canada, though the levels of crude birth rates were higher in that country than in the United States. In 1961, it was 26.0; in 1974, it was 15.4.
It appears that the baby boom lasted for a longer period in the United States and in Canada than in European countries. In the USSR, there was a slight rise in the birth rate during 1950-54, but after that a downward trend set in.
The temporary upsurge in the birth rates of various countries is attributed to several factors.
Women, who had postponed their marriages, got married, and other started getting married at a younger age. These newly married women also began to have children, without any attempt at postponement.
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Those already married and who had postponed having babies during the period of the economic depression, began to have them now. Demobilisation and the return of military personnel to normal life also contributed to the baby boom.