From 1945, however, demand for Belgium's traditional industries (steel and coal, textiles, and railway machinery in particular) grew across Europe, boosting the recovery of the Belgian economy.[2] In comparison with neighbouring countries, whose industries had been heavily damaged by fighting, the comparatively intact Belgian industrial base was able to restore its capacity to respond to the rise in demand.[3] In 1946, the government announced its intention to increase production in Belgium's important coal mining industries by inaugurating a "Battle for Coal" (Bataille du charbon).