Freedom's Forge by Arthur Herman

[kirk]

I just finished reading freedom's Forge by Arthur Heran.This is a fantastic read!!It is a very detailed book on how American businesses switched from making cars,refrigerators,etc. to tanks,planes,ships,and guns.I could not put the book down!!

[Willi Z.]

I heard it was pretty good, but haven't picked it up yet.

Does it address the "New Dealers" not wanting to turn over the war effort to businessmen as well?

[pasoleati]

According to Paul Koistinen's "Arsenal of WW II" (University Press of Kansas) the American war material production was actually not anything miraculous if the pre-war industrial capacity is taken into account...

[Willi Z.]

According to Paul Koistinen's "Arsenal of WW II" (University Press of Kansas) the American war material production was actually not anything miraculous if the pre-war industrial capacity is taken into account...

I think the key was the management and focus of that capacity. There was quite a struggle between the "New Dealers" and the "capitalists" during this era. FDR was smart enough (and intellectually honest enough) to choose the right side after he admitted the "New Dealers" (and his earlier policies) deepened and prolonged the Great Depression. How times have changed....

[pasoleati]

Thomas Fleming's book "New Dealer's War" is not particularly enamored by anything by FDR, and I agree with him.

[Willi Z.]

Thomas Fleming's book "New Dealer's War" is not particularly enamored by anything by FDR, and I agree with him.

I read some reviews on the Fleming book and liked what I read, so I ordered a copy. I agree on FDR.

My comments above reflect that the decision to turn over the US industrial capacity to two skilled industrialists (Kaiser and Knudsen) instead of keeping it under control of the goverment and the "New Dealers". And not any liking of FDR.

[pasoleati]

I wonder if Knudsen's GM background affected his decisions in any way? A topic for further research!

[Willi Z.]

Yes, I think Knudsen's GM background was invaluable. He knew everyone in the industry and could just make phone calls to get things done. His primary skill was his ability to break down complex manufactruing processes into simpler "building block" steps.

[pasoleati]

I recall one US author blaming Knudsen for protecting Allison's (a GM company) interests in not allowing a Merlin-engined P-38 to be developed...

[N.C. Wyeth]

"Righty" tighty . . .

Yes, I think Knudsen's GM background was invaluable. He knew everyone in the industry and could just make phone calls to get things done. His primary skill was his ability to break down complex manufactruing processes into simpler "building block" steps.

Yeah, a real hero, Willi . . . donated generously to the fascist American Liberty League, was a buddy of Hermann Goering, felt Hitler’s Germany was “the miracle of the twentieth century", and was also known as “the Speedup King.” - receiving this nickname for his efforts to increase the speed of factory workers to such dangerous levels that they fainted from exhaustion . . .

Sounds more like just another greedy Corporate tycoon to me . . . and just like you said - "how times have changed" . . .

I"ll have to check the book out . . . but if it's just another diatribe glorifying Big Business of the time, it won't be for me . . .