1941: The America That Went to War

by William M. Christie

As America approaches the seventy-fifth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, author William M. Christie provides a detailed history of the United States on the eve of World War II. 1941: The America That Went to War presents not only the military events of 1941 and specific areas of interest like sports, home life, and transportation, but also an overall portrait of the country.The America of 1941 was very different from the country we know today. Most people were just getting back on their feet after the struggles of the Depression, their interests personal and inward. Access to the political process was uneven, yet there was no general assumption that all citizens should have an equal voice in government. Magazines and radio provided all the cultural experiences people expected to be able to enjoy. Ethnic stereotypes were widely accepted, and concerns with social justice were only beginning to expand. After the Depression, most workers found jobs related to the growth of the American defense industry, but the nation was fearful of the foreign wars that made increased armaments necessary. Yet everything was about to change with the forced entry onto the world stage. Christie describes all this and more, demonstrating that one cannot understand the United States during and after World War II without understanding the country that entered the war.Organized in a series of vignettes representing focal events of each month, 1941 brings readers into the mind-set of 1941 America. These stories show both what Americans were doing and how they saw themselves and the world in that last year of peace.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Genres: Nonfiction

442 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 27, 2016

Reviews

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

INTERSING, INFORMATIVE, NOSTALGIC.

“Not even one in twenty had completed four years of college. A person needed a special reason to go to college. Even then, well over half of those who started college did not complete four years.” (Kindle Location 1,052)

Although a bit of a slog to read at times—reading a bit more like a text book than a narrative—William M. Christie’s 1941: The America That Went to War ultimately turned out to be quite interesting and informative. Arranged into twelve chapters, by subject matter: Politics; Popular Entertainment, Art Education, and Literature; Social Change; The War Over There; The Great Debate; Sports; Leisure Time and Travel; Preparedness; Labor and Business; Home Life; The End of Peace—it covers a lot of bases, exhaustively. Sometimes details got lost in the quantity of information proffered.

Recommendation: Probably will be most appreciated by history buffs who lived in the decade of the 40s. It was certainly worth the discounted price I paid for it.

“[President of the United Mine Workers and first president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (C.I.O.), John L.] Lewis was an uncompromising isolationist who feared that American involvement in the conflict would turn back labor’s gains, create an authoritarian presidency, and make the country into an imperialist power.” (Kindle Location 3,830)

Skyhorse Publishing. Kindle Edition.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

1941: The America That Went to War by William Christie is a well-researched and cleverly presented glimpse at the specific period just before America's entry into the war.

The book is arranged thematically, yet presented as a calendar of sorts. Each month highlights an event that occurred that month in one of twelve topical areas, then uses that chapter to expand on that theme. This both walks the reader through the year while going into more detail about each topic.

While there are plenty of books that discuss the American home front during the war, usually with reference to what was different from before the war, the emphasis is on the wartime home front. Pre-war is used to highlight changes so examples may well be cited from any time from the mid-1930s until December 1941. This book is about a very specific time, the year preceding the US entry. As such it is a better glimpse of pre-war America than the comparative books.

While very well researched this is not an academic volume so is accessible to anyone with an interest in the period. This is that wonderful blend of historically rigorous while being more of a narrative than an academic argument. If you have read some books about the war itself, both military and home front, then this book will drive home some of the points those other books likely touched on.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.

[BJ McSt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always loved history from the perspective of what people lived, experienced, felt at the time -- what my professors would have called "social history." Consider that you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, next month, next year, and try to put yourself in someone's place at a particular time. I was born in 1954 so this is my father's time. I was fortunate enough to ask him and Mom about memories of the years leading up to the US's entry into WWII. Comparing their stories and stories from others with this book gives a nice feel for the times, with some surprising statistics -- average family annual income was $2500. Yes, that is correct. Average rent for a decent 2-story house was $37.50 per month. The stats on education, healthcare, and lots of other topics are eye-opening as well. Differences in regions of the country were more pronounced, giving our current status a more informed perspective, and perhaps an appreciation for the many changes in the last 80+ years.

The writing sometimes gets bogged down and it can be hard to stick with some of the detail, but if your goal is to come away with an overall feel for the year, this is a good resource. More photos would have added to the text but those can be found online. Also listen to classic radio shows via the internet or satellite radio -- great to stretch your imagination with.