Mobilization of the Homefront
After Pearl Harbor, the Defense program was replaced by the Victory program. Its three top priorities were planes, tanks, and merchant shipping. The 77th Congress gave FDR the power to reorganize government agencies, establish censorship, seize alien-owned property and award contracts without competitive bidding. The federal government grew faster than during the New Deal era, enlarging the Washington D.C. bureaucracy and its links to private industry. The U.S. war production increased, but consumer production continued. The U.S. never fully mobilized the economy and FDR remained the "broker" president. The military-industrial complex became more powerful and civil liberties suffered. Liberal reforms failed to rise above conservative priorities, waste and poor management. War agencies were regarded as strictly temporary and many things returned to pre-war status after 1945.
War Production Board
OPA and Rationing
OCD and Scrap Drives
War Manpower Commission and Women
War Labor Board
War Food Administration and Farmers
OWI and Propaganda
Office of Scientific Research and Development
War Shipping Board and Merchant Marine
Henry Kaiser
Reuben Fleet
Pat McCarran
Brinkley on Washington DC
Military bases in San Diego and Moffett Field
Army Navy Screen Magazine - Private Snafu
Negro Soldier
Navajo Code Talkers
FBI and Civil Liberties
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 1943 found in Russia 1998. |
Mobilization of the American economy produced the Jeep by Willys Overland and Ford, 2.5-ton truck by Yellow and GM, DUKW by GM, FM radio from Edwin Armstrong and RCA, M1 rifle from John Garand in 1936, M1 carbine from David "Carbine" Williams, Liberty ships of Henry Kaiser, prefabricated and welded Destroyer Escorts, walkie-talkie by Al Gross.
Newsreels:
- "The Arsenal For D-Day," Universal Newsreel 17-292 (5/8/1944) on DVD53
- "B-24 Liberator Rolls off San Diego Consolidated," Universal Newsreel 17-305 (6/22/1944) on DVD53
- "Movie Report On 4th Loan," Universal Newsreesl 17-284 (4/10/1944) on DVD53
- "S.S. Benjamin Warner Is Launched," Universal Newsreel 17-309 (7/2/1944) on DVD54
- March of Time newsreels include "Main Street USA" (Nov. 1941), "Uncle Sam Mariner?" (Nov. 1944), and "Back Door to Tokyo"(June 1944) on Burma campaign.
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Articles:
- WWII Women Workers To Be Honored from AP, October 14, 2000 - article
- Rosie the Riveter Honored in California Memorial from NYT, October 22, 2000 - article
- WWII Veterans Sail 4,250 Miles from AP, December 28, 2000 - article
- Mexican Laborers in U.S. During World War II Sue for Back Pay from NYT, April 29, 2001 - article
Sources:
- Geoffrey Perrett. Days of Sadness, Years of Triumph. The American people 1939-1945. Penguin, 1973. The quotes are from page 255, 248, 249, 250.
- Mobilization and Women in Army History from the Center for Military History