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Freedom's Forge
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • SELECTED BY THE ECONOMIST AS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
“A rambunctious book that is itself alive with the animal spirits of the marketplace.”—The Wall Street Journal
Freedom’s Forge reveals how two extraordinary American businessmen—General Motors automobile magnate William “Big Bill” Knudsen and shipbuilder Henry J. Kaiser—helped corral, cajole, and inspire business leaders across the country to mobilize the “arsenal of democracy” that propelled the Allies to victory in World War II. Drafting top talent from companies like Chrysler, Republic Steel, Boeing, Lockheed, GE, and Frigidaire, Knudsen and Kaiser turned auto plants into aircraft factories and civilian assembly lines into fountains of munitions. In four short years they transformed America’s army from a hollow shell into a truly global force, laying the foundations for the country’s rise as an economic as well as military superpower. Freedom’s Forge vividly re-creates American industry’s finest hour, when the nation’s business elites put aside their pursuit of profits and set about saving the world.
Praise for Freedom’s Forge
“A rarely told industrial saga, rich with particulars of the growing pains and eventual triumphs of American industry . . . Arthur Herman has set out to right an injustice: the loss, down history’s memory hole, of the epic achievements of American business in helping the United States and its allies win World War II.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Magnificent . . . It’s not often that a historian comes up with a fresh approach to an absolutely critical element of the Allied victory in World War II, but Pulitzer finalist Herman . . . has done just that.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A compulsively readable tribute to ‘the miracle of mass production.’ ”—Publishers Weekly
“The production statistics cited by Mr. Herman . . . astound.”—The Economist
“[A] fantastic book.”—Forbes
“Freedom’s Forge is the story of how the ingenuity and energy of the American private sector was turned loose to equip the finest military force on the face of the earth. In an era of gathering threats and shrinking defense budgets, it is a timely lesson told by one of the great historians of our time.”—Donald Rumsfeld
More Books from Arthur Herman
Reviews
Arthur Herman’s gripping and sweeping story of the private sector renaissance that created the “arsenal of democracy” in WW II and enabled the Allies to defeat the Axis is filled with lessons learned relevant today. By focusing on the personal stories of Bill Knudsen, a legendary automotive industrialist, and Henry Kaiser, a giant in the construction and later ship building industries, Herman illustrates the incredible hurdles each man overcame to rise to leadership in their commercial endeavors and then help craft the strategies for harnessing America’s private sector to build the materiel needed to win the war.
By Mark44120
A most engaging and informative read. Hard to put down. A magnificent tribute to American Enterprise!
By number one gearhead
Anyone who doesn't believe in American Exceptionalism or the power of capitalism or still thinks gov't is the answer should take the time to read this book.
By flyersphan16
I really enjoyed this book a lot. I think I'm reasonably well read regarding the war and it's lead in, and I would rank this book among the best. A few of the (many) take-aways for me: a.)First, it is a very smooth read that not only presents well researched data, but tells a story that is so compelling that I repeatedly found myself reading late into the nite. b.) I found myself pausing throughout the read so as to ponder the sheer magnitude of the production numbers involved in the war effort. I knew they were big, but up to now never fully appreciated how big (eight aircraft carriers ---- A MONTH?! )………… For me, numbers like this just leave me asking "wait - how on earth …." ??? The author does an excellent job breaking down the answers in a really fascinating way. c.) For anyone with an interest in the historical development of manufacturing and logistics, this book is a must read. It ties together so many "a-ha!" moments in manufacturing history at it's greatest turning point, from factory floor layout through supply chain management and labor practices - all in a very readable way. d.) I also learned the histories of quite a few companies that are around today and how they fit into the war's production effort, ranging from the mega-engineering operations to the mom and pop operation out on a farm that was running a machine shop in their living room. e.) Perhaps more than anything, for me this book is the story of the sheer audacity of every-day Americans in a race against a clock. They were in a very real race where slip-ups in production meant the loss of the lives of family members at the front ---- and they knew it. In short - I am humbled by an amazing account of what they had accomplished. To the author, my thanks for an outstanding read.
By pdkaltenbach