Mobilizing America

"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

During World War II, the United States mobilized its material and manpower resources on an unprecedented scaled. In Mobilizing America, Keith E. Eiler... makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the mobilization by describing the contributions of Robert P. Patterson.... Mobilizing America is a worthy work of scholarship. Gracefully written and based on Patterson's papers in the Library of Congress and scores of interviews, it deftly examines Patterson's style and numerous issues of wartime policy and reminds us that a 'purposeful' individual can make a difference in a vast national endeavor., As a study of the domestic economy during WWII, this book is unparalleled., Robert P. Patterson was in the forefront of the enormous national effort needed to make the United States the arsenal of democracy during the war years, 1940–45. As assistant secretary of war, and later in 1945 as secretary of war, Patterson shouldered the major responsibility for making the U.S. Army and Air Force a great war machine. Eiler has written a comprehensive account of Patterson's Herculean efforts (largely unrecognized then or later), which were so essential for the final victory. Patterson emerges as a patriot and ideal public servant., This account of the career of one of the 20th century's great public servants... is a dramatic story, ably narrated and documented, about a side of World War II—the domestic war against entrenched bureaucracy—in which Patterson played an heroic role., A simple, straightforward account of the mobilization and brilliant career of Undersecretary of War Robert P. Patterson.... Written with an even-handed scholarly manner that is outstanding.... It reads very well.

Keith E. Eiler is Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace, Stanford University.