Mobilizing America : Robert P. Patterson and the War Effort, 1940-1945 / Keith E. Eiler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Eiler, Keith E., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Patterson, Robert Porter, 1891-1952.

Patterson, Robert Porter.

Cabinet officers--United States--Biography.

Cabinet officers.

World War, 1939-1945--War work--United States.

World War, 1939-1945.

World War, 1939-1945--United States.

Military History.

Local Subjects:

Military History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource : 15 halftones

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Ithaca, NY : Cornell University Press, [2018]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

"This splendid biography does belated justice to one of the unsung heroes of the Second World War. Robert P. Patterson, a quiet man of commanding ability and sturdy purpose, played a key role in the mobilization of American men and resources that made victory possible. Mobilizing America illuminates both the integrity of the man and the complexity of his achievement."-Arthur Schlesinger, Jr."In Keith Eiler's masterful and meticulously researched account, the unsung pillar of America's victorious mobilization for World War II, Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson-a man of rare character and judgment and an 'incomparably purposeful mobilizer'-is at long last given his due."-Lieutenant General John H. Cushman, U. S. Army, Retired"Students of the Second World War, even professional military officers, are often woefully uninformed about the vast and complex war effort waged on the home front to provide the supplies, trained manpower, and munitions necessary to ultimate victory. Keith Eiler has found a way to portray this mobilization effort vividly by telling the story through the eyes of Undersecretary of War Robert P. Patterson, a modest but dynamic man whose contributions, in the author's words, were 'comparable only to those of the army's chief of staff, General George C. Marshall, and of the president himself.'"-John S. D. Eisenhower"In an era when the common defense is no longer considered the responsibility of every citizen but instead is provided by hundreds of billions of tax dollars, technical experts, and esoteric systems and strategies, it is reassuring to be reminded of the sincerely patriotic efforts of a man like Patterson. Keith Eiler's book is well researched, lucidly written, and full of insights and analysis that go beyond the usual biography of an important public personality."-J. Garry Clifford, University of Connecticut

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

A Note on Sources

INTRODUCTION

PART ONE. A CALL TO ARMS (1940-1941)

1. Student, Soldier, Lawyer, Judge

2. A Return to Action

3. Hearing a Different Kind of Case

4. Pushing Procurement

5. Managing Mobilization

6. Personnel for the New Army

7. Materiel for the New Army

8. The War Department and the Negro

9. Labor Issues in Defense Industry

10. Shortages in Basic Materials

11. Conversion and Its Discontents

12. Patience and Perseverance

PART TWO. WAR (1941-1945)

13. A Great New Crisis

14. Seeking Manpower for a Burgeoning Army

15. Crises in Rubber and Gasoline

16. Organizing Manpower for the Home Front: 1942

17. A Close Eye on Prices and Profits

18. Cooperation and Conflict with the WPB

19. The Chronic Muddle of Manpower: 1943

20. The Lures of Untimely Reconversion: 1944

21. The Agonies of the Hard Last Lap: 1945

PART THREE. AFTERMATH (1945-1947)

22. Changing the Guard

23. The Forces Melt Away

24. Reaction and the Record

CONCLUSION

APPENDIXES

A. Persons Interviewed

B. Abbreviations Used in the Text and Notes

C. A Select Chronology of the War

Notes

Index

Notes:

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 20. Sep 2019)

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781501723872

1501723871

OCLC:

1083622923