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Cork Wars: Intrigue and Industry in World War II
In 1940, with German U-boats blockading all commerce across the Atlantic Ocean, a fireball at the Crown Cork and Seal factory lit the sky over Baltimore. The newspapers said that you could see its glow as far north as Philadelphia and as far south as Annapolis. Rumors of Nazi sabotage led to an FBI investigation and pulled an entire industry into the machinery of national security as America stood on the brink of war.
In Cork Wars, David A. Taylor traces this fascinating story through the lives of three men and their families, who were all drawn into this dangerous intersection of enterprise and espionage. At the heart of this tale is self-made mogul Charles McManus, son of Irish immigrants, who grew up on Baltimore's rough streets. McManus ran Crown Cork and Seal, a company that manufactured everything from bottle caps to oil-tight gaskets for fighter planes. Frank DiCara, as a young teenager growing up in Highlandtown, watched from his bedroom window as the fire blazed at the factory. Just a few years later, under pressure to support his family after the death of his father, DiCara quit school and got a job at Crown. Meanwhile, Melchor Marsa, Catalan by birth, managed Crown Cork and Seal's plants in Spain and Portugal--and was perfectly placed to be recruited as a spy.
McManus, DiCara, and Marsa were connected by the unique properties of a seemingly innocuous substance. Cork, unrivaled as a sealant and insulator, was used in gaskets, bomber insulation, and ammunition, making it crucial to the war effort. From secret missions in North Africa to 4-H clubs growing seedlings in America to secret intelligence agents working undercover in the industry, this book examines cork's surprising wartime significance. Drawing on in-depth interviews with surviving family members, personal collections, and recently declassified government records, Taylor weaves this by turns beautiful, dark, and outrageous narrative with the drama of a thriller. From the factory floor to the corner office, Cork Wars reflects shifts in our ideas of modernity, the environment, and the materials and norms of American life. World War II buffs--and anyone interested in a good yarn--will be gripped by this bold and frightening tale of a forgotten episode of American history.
In Cork Wars, David A. Taylor traces this fascinating story through the lives of three men and their families, who were all drawn into this dangerous intersection of enterprise and espionage. At the heart of this tale is self-made mogul Charles McManus, son of Irish immigrants, who grew up on Baltimore's rough streets. McManus ran Crown Cork and Seal, a company that manufactured everything from bottle caps to oil-tight gaskets for fighter planes. Frank DiCara, as a young teenager growing up in Highlandtown, watched from his bedroom window as the fire blazed at the factory. Just a few years later, under pressure to support his family after the death of his father, DiCara quit school and got a job at Crown. Meanwhile, Melchor Marsa, Catalan by birth, managed Crown Cork and Seal's plants in Spain and Portugal--and was perfectly placed to be recruited as a spy.
McManus, DiCara, and Marsa were connected by the unique properties of a seemingly innocuous substance. Cork, unrivaled as a sealant and insulator, was used in gaskets, bomber insulation, and ammunition, making it crucial to the war effort. From secret missions in North Africa to 4-H clubs growing seedlings in America to secret intelligence agents working undercover in the industry, this book examines cork's surprising wartime significance. Drawing on in-depth interviews with surviving family members, personal collections, and recently declassified government records, Taylor weaves this by turns beautiful, dark, and outrageous narrative with the drama of a thriller. From the factory floor to the corner office, Cork Wars reflects shifts in our ideas of modernity, the environment, and the materials and norms of American life. World War II buffs--and anyone interested in a good yarn--will be gripped by this bold and frightening tale of a forgotten episode of American history.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published December 9, 2018
26 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
David A. Taylor
7 books20 followersTwenty years after the publication of my first book, Ginseng, the Divine Root, I’ve been revisiting the story that led me into the forests of the Appalachians and into a hidden economy of plant harvesting and poaching.
What began as a story about a medicinal root prized on two continents has, over time, connected to a wider exploration related to environmental crime, global demand for natural resources, and the pressures on forests and communities.
My recent work, including articles in Smithsonian magazine and Scientific American, has revisited those themes. It suggests that the dynamics that I found in the ginseng trade and the people who follow it have grown even more relevant.
What began as a story about a medicinal root prized on two continents has, over time, connected to a wider exploration related to environmental crime, global demand for natural resources, and the pressures on forests and communities.
My recent work, including articles in Smithsonian magazine and Scientific American, has revisited those themes. It suggests that the dynamics that I found in the ginseng trade and the people who follow it have grown even more relevant.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 26, 2018
This is a book about industrial espionage in 1940 America.
The book is well written and researched. Primarily, this is about the Crown Cork and Seal Company of Baltimore, Maryland. They make everything from bottle caps to oil tight gaskets for automobiles and airplanes. In 1940 the plant in Baltimore blew up. Why and how is the question.
The author tells of the investigation and how important the plant was to the war effort. The author almost writes this as a novel instead of a history book. If you are interested in industrial sabotage or the cork industry in the United States during World War II, this book is for you.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is seven hours and fifteen minutes. Robin J. Sitten does a good job narrating the book. Sitten has been narrating audiobooks for over twenty years.
The book is well written and researched. Primarily, this is about the Crown Cork and Seal Company of Baltimore, Maryland. They make everything from bottle caps to oil tight gaskets for automobiles and airplanes. In 1940 the plant in Baltimore blew up. Why and how is the question.
The author tells of the investigation and how important the plant was to the war effort. The author almost writes this as a novel instead of a history book. If you are interested in industrial sabotage or the cork industry in the United States during World War II, this book is for you.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is seven hours and fifteen minutes. Robin J. Sitten does a good job narrating the book. Sitten has been narrating audiobooks for over twenty years.
January 13, 2019
‘Nine acres of baled cork roared into flames yesterday afternoon.’1940, Baltimore Sun
Washington DC author David A. Taylor has written and co-produced award-winning documentary films, histories, fiction collections and non-fiction articles that have appeared in Smithsonian, The Washington Post, Oxford American and elsewhere. His books are lauded and awarded. He teaches at Johns Hopkins University.
David introduces his impressive volume CORK WARS stating ‘This book is narrative nonfiction, combining the fact-finding of journalism with literary techniques to create a dramatic story that is also true. All the characters are real people.’ And then he opens the window to a part of history too few understand.
The outline of the book’s story summarizes it very well: ‘In 1940, with German U-boats blockading all commerce across the Atlantic Ocean, a fireball at the Crown Cork and Seal factory lit the sky over Baltimore. The newspapers said that you could see its glow as far north as Philadelphia and as far south as Annapolis. Rumors of Nazi sabotage led to an FBI investigation and pulled an entire industry into the machinery of national security as America stood on the brink of war. The events are related through three families. At the heart of this tale is self-made mogul Charles McManus, son of Irish immigrants, who grew up on Baltimore’s rough streets. McManus ran Crown Cork and Seal, a company that manufactured everything from bottle caps to oil-tight gaskets for fighter planes. Frank DiCara, as a young teenager growing up in Highlandtown, watched from his bedroom window as the fire blazed at the factory. Just a few years later, under pressure to support his family after the death of his father, DiCara quit school and got a job at Crown. Meanwhile, Melchor Marsa, Catalan by birth, managed Crown Cork and Seal’s plants in Spain and Portugal and was perfectly placed to be recruited as a spy. McManus, DiCara, and Marsa were connected by the unique properties of a seemingly innocuous substance. Cork, unrivaled as a sealant and insulator, was used in gaskets, bomber insulation, and ammunition, making it crucial to the war effort. From secret missions in North Africa to 4-H clubs growing seedlings in America to secret intelligence agents working undercover in the industry, this book examines cork’s surprising wartime significance.’
David has very successfully placed facts before us in a manner that reads like a thriller. The significance of this reenactment of history is particularly timely as we step lightly though portents of possible similar corruption and conspiracy Brilliant writing!
Washington DC author David A. Taylor has written and co-produced award-winning documentary films, histories, fiction collections and non-fiction articles that have appeared in Smithsonian, The Washington Post, Oxford American and elsewhere. His books are lauded and awarded. He teaches at Johns Hopkins University.
David introduces his impressive volume CORK WARS stating ‘This book is narrative nonfiction, combining the fact-finding of journalism with literary techniques to create a dramatic story that is also true. All the characters are real people.’ And then he opens the window to a part of history too few understand.
The outline of the book’s story summarizes it very well: ‘In 1940, with German U-boats blockading all commerce across the Atlantic Ocean, a fireball at the Crown Cork and Seal factory lit the sky over Baltimore. The newspapers said that you could see its glow as far north as Philadelphia and as far south as Annapolis. Rumors of Nazi sabotage led to an FBI investigation and pulled an entire industry into the machinery of national security as America stood on the brink of war. The events are related through three families. At the heart of this tale is self-made mogul Charles McManus, son of Irish immigrants, who grew up on Baltimore’s rough streets. McManus ran Crown Cork and Seal, a company that manufactured everything from bottle caps to oil-tight gaskets for fighter planes. Frank DiCara, as a young teenager growing up in Highlandtown, watched from his bedroom window as the fire blazed at the factory. Just a few years later, under pressure to support his family after the death of his father, DiCara quit school and got a job at Crown. Meanwhile, Melchor Marsa, Catalan by birth, managed Crown Cork and Seal’s plants in Spain and Portugal and was perfectly placed to be recruited as a spy. McManus, DiCara, and Marsa were connected by the unique properties of a seemingly innocuous substance. Cork, unrivaled as a sealant and insulator, was used in gaskets, bomber insulation, and ammunition, making it crucial to the war effort. From secret missions in North Africa to 4-H clubs growing seedlings in America to secret intelligence agents working undercover in the industry, this book examines cork’s surprising wartime significance.’
David has very successfully placed facts before us in a manner that reads like a thriller. The significance of this reenactment of history is particularly timely as we step lightly though portents of possible similar corruption and conspiracy Brilliant writing!
February 6, 2020
I listened to the audible version because I am a fan of narrator Robin J. Sitten. I never thought much about cork before, but it was an intriguing story.
January 4, 2019
An interesting look into the part cork played in American civilian and military history. Cork is generally a fairly rare commodity obtained from the bark of Oak trees in Portugal, Spain and North Africa. Initially it was found to be a great substance to seal wine bottles and bottle caps. Over time more uses were found as in gaskets for engines and in various weapons. Both Germany and the United States needed cork in World War Two and Portugal and Spain were neutral. So the book focuses on the Axis and Allies intrigue to control this valuable resource. Interesting.
February 7, 2019
Very informative; I’m familiar with Crown Cork and Seal as I’m a Baltimore native.
Lots and lots of names to remember...I read it because a friend went to Portugal especially because of the cork industry. She bought a handbag made of cork!
Subsequently I had my installer use cork for a flooring project in a sunroom in our vacation home. I LOVE that cork is renewable. And ATTRACTIVE.
Lots and lots of names to remember...I read it because a friend went to Portugal especially because of the cork industry. She bought a handbag made of cork!
Subsequently I had my installer use cork for a flooring project in a sunroom in our vacation home. I LOVE that cork is renewable. And ATTRACTIVE.
January 5, 2019
A thoroughly enjoyable page-turner that is somehow about espionage, World War II, immigration, industry, Baltimore, Lisbon, and, of course, cork, all at once. Super well-researched and a lot of fun to read.
Read
March 13, 2022Book tracking the lives of several people through WWII, OSS intrigue, & Cork as a national security prerogative. Interesting insights into how wartime economy, industrial players, intelligence agencies, and commodity flows intersect. Whole story feels increasingly relevant given current developments in the world around energy and related commodities.
February 13, 2020
Cork Wars tells a story of an industry and a city and the influence it had during WWII. Although not a book about the war, it reminds of us many aspects of how so many pieces fit to accomplish a goal and the impact it has on people's lives.
December 31, 2020
Finalmente alguien estudia las relaciones entre los corcheros ibéricos y los Estados UNidos
May 17, 2021
So who cares about cork? David A. Taylor does and his informative narrative tells how important the renewable natural resource of cork was to the United States and her allies during World War II.
The reader will learn how the ingenuity of Crown Cork and Seal from Baltimore, Maryland and Armstrong Cork from Lancaster, Pennsylvania helped the Armed Forces of the United States cushion, insulate, and provide seals from cork oak tree bark, for military weaponry, which in turn helped them win the war.
The reader will learn how the ingenuity of Crown Cork and Seal from Baltimore, Maryland and Armstrong Cork from Lancaster, Pennsylvania helped the Armed Forces of the United States cushion, insulate, and provide seals from cork oak tree bark, for military weaponry, which in turn helped them win the war.
January 13, 2021
Les noves tecnologies no són el futur, sinó el present: fa deu dies vaig veure en aquesta web aquest llibre citat per un col·lega, i donat que es podia comprar com a e-book, el vaig adquirir en aquest format. D'aquesta manera, he tingut coneixement de l'existència d'una obra que toca un tema oblidat en la història del negoci del suro: la condició d'aquesta matèria primera com a material de guerra i, per tant, de conreu estratègic. A partir de la vida de tres personatges, l'autor ens presenta com la situació de guerra va redirigir la indústria surera dels EUA cap a les aplicacions bèl·liques i com el proveïment de matèria primera esdevingué clau: control de l'accés als països productors de la mateixa (curiosament, aquesta ha estat una condició sine qua non del sector al llarg de tota la seva història) i programes per a incentivar el conreu de l'alzina surera a aquell país. Gran aportació a la història de la indústria surera, incursió en un terreny inèdit en la història d'aquest sector i, de propina, pàgines molt interessants dedicades a aspectes col·laterals (destaquem sobretot l'estudi dedicat a l'internament i aïllament dels ciutadans nord-americans d'origen alemany, italià i japonès arran de l'esclat de la IIWW), tot i que amb espai per a les històries personals dels tres personatges conductors del llibre i les seves famílies.
January 13, 2019
I’m tremendously impressed with Taylor’s ability to weave masses of illuminating facts into such a clear and involving narrative.
Having grown up in Washington, DC during the period covered by this book, I was surprised to find I knew nothing about the saga it covers and having graduated from M.I.T., I’m astonished at my lack of awareness of the importance of cork in the war effort.
Taylor’s final chapter gives a good idea of the impressive depth and extent of his research.
If you’re interested in historical narratives revolving around the Second World War, I highly recommend this book.
Having grown up in Washington, DC during the period covered by this book, I was surprised to find I knew nothing about the saga it covers and having graduated from M.I.T., I’m astonished at my lack of awareness of the importance of cork in the war effort.
Taylor’s final chapter gives a good idea of the impressive depth and extent of his research.
If you’re interested in historical narratives revolving around the Second World War, I highly recommend this book.
June 18, 2023
This non-fiction book about the role of cork in the mid 1900s was well researched, but I found my attention waning as I read. Lots of interesting anecdotes, but I wanted the story of the alleged espionage at the Baltimore factory to be the main focus. When we drift from that into the worldwide dealings in the cork industry, things tended to be less interesting for me. I did like how the Crown Cork and Seal corporation cooperated with the US Government to support the war effort in different ways.
January 19, 2026
Not an interesting story at all
June 15, 2019
This book was fine. Not good, not bad. Fine.
It was better when it covered topics aside from Cork or the Crown Cork & Seal company.
The lives of the people in the book was of moderate interest. And, honestly, I don’t even really feel like I totally understand why Cork was so important to American security during WWII.
Moreover, the great reveal— that members of the Crown company were spies!— wasn’t even that big a deal. They listened to what was happening and reported back. And mostly they were a bit paranoid (let’s be honest, the Cork supply of America was probably not sabotaged by nazis living among us).
I’m not sure why I read this it was— again— fine.
It was better when it covered topics aside from Cork or the Crown Cork & Seal company.
The lives of the people in the book was of moderate interest. And, honestly, I don’t even really feel like I totally understand why Cork was so important to American security during WWII.
Moreover, the great reveal— that members of the Crown company were spies!— wasn’t even that big a deal. They listened to what was happening and reported back. And mostly they were a bit paranoid (let’s be honest, the Cork supply of America was probably not sabotaged by nazis living among us).
I’m not sure why I read this it was— again— fine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews