Most of the WWII books that I have read are about the British homefront and its war experiences. Whereas America did not have to worry about bombs and other immediate hardships, they too made sacrifices and had adjustments forced upon them. While they had more money in their pockets than at any time prior to the Crash, much of what might have been used for civilians went to the war effort. Some of the “drives” made enormous contributions. Some were more window dressing and propaganda. But even those, when they brought the nation together with one purpose, they would fulfill an important need.

There were less first hand descriptions of what things were like than some of the ones from the Uk but the book does cover the topic extensively. From the preparation for war, long before Pearl Harbour to the returning of the service men afterwards, it looks at both industrial and personal impacts. And some of the changes wrought by the war, even with a few glitches in decades after the war, formed the base for things like the civil rights movement and women’s liberation. That was something that I had not given full appreciation before reading the book.

Easy to read and informative, I give the book four purrs and two paws up.

The United States home front during WWII supported the war effort in many ways,including a wide range of volunteer efforts and submitting to government-managed rationing and price controls. There was a general feeling of agreement that the sacrifices were for the national good during the war. Manpower, Material and Money.
The labour market changed radically.Peacetime conflicts concerning race and labour took on a special dimension because of the pressure for national unity. The Hollywood film industry was important for propaganda. Every aspect of life, from politics to personal savings, changed when put on a wartime footing. This was achieved by millions of workers moving from low to high productivity jobs in industrial centres. Millions of students, retirees, housewives, and unemployed moved into the active labour force lured by patriotism and wages. The hours they had to work increased dramatically as the time for leisure activities declined sharply.In industrial areas, housing was in short supply as people doubled up and lived in cramped quarters. Prices and wages were controlled through the Office of Price Administration. Americans saved a high portion of their incomes, which led to renewed growth after the war.Congress also enlarged the tax base by lowering the minimum income to pay taxes, and by reducing personal exemptions and deductions. By 1944 nearly every employed person was paying federal income taxes.Corporations dealt with numerous agencies, especially the War Production Board (WPB),and the Army and Navy departments, which had the purchasing power and priorities that largely reshaped and expanded industrial production.In 1942 a rationing system was begun to guarantee minimum amounts of necessities to everyone (especially poor people) and prevent inflation.The unemployment problems of the Great Depression largely ended with the mobilisation for war. Policymakers did not want high school students to drop out.Government agencies, parents, school administrations and employers would cooperate in local "Go-to-School Drives" to encourage high school students to stay in school longer so they have the required qualifications.

The American Homefront During WWII by C D Peterson is look at how American life was affected by the Second World War on many levels.

As someone who doesn’t have a lot of knowledge of this time in history, I found the reading informative and interesting, shining lights on certain things I would have never considered previously when thinking of this time. It covers the life’s of women who suddenly found themselves at the forefront of the workforce, to the children who found joy in collecting scrap metal and victory gardens to the men whose lives were forever changed.

If you’d like an informative look into the time period, I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Pen & Sword for the advanced reader copy.

The American Homefront During WWII - Blackouts, Ration-books and Rosie the Riveter
by C D Peterson is a fascinating insight into the experience of WWII over the pond

Having read extensively about this very subject (and listened to anecdotes by so many around me) there was a real feeling of sturdy fortitude and endurance throughout the great wars, of pulling together, making use of what you had and following the rules for the preservation of soceity as we knew it against a common enemy.

This was certainly reflected in the American experience and whereas there was not the threat of the Blitz or regular bombing raids, that the UK and Europe had been subject to since the commencement of war on 1 September 1939, there was still a huge, unprecedented and brutal attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7 1941, which spurred the US to join the war effort on 11 December 1941 and ultimately contribute to the defeat of Hitler's evil regime. The delay in joining the war effort was not intentional, but rather a division between those believed the US should be involved in the effort and those who believed it should not

I never knew that the US also had air-raid drills before this book (due to the restrictions in flight at that time) but this was certainly an eye-opener for me, as were the awesome accounts from those who lived through a time not only of great danger, but huge social change (after all, women and people of colour were needed to enter the workforce - and indeed, the 50s saw the rise of the Civil Rights movement and the 60s saw the Womens Liberation movement)

WWII was a global effort against fascism and the common spirit of togetherness, against the evils of oppression and the holocaust brought everybody together to contribute to the war effort through posters, rationing and cultural icons that endure to this day (I actually have a poster of Rosie the riveter up on the wall of my office!) The huge difference between the American and UK experince, was this ability to kick back and have fun through music, movies and icons

This was such a good book and really enlightening. The flow was easy to read and so very engaging. Absolutely recommend

Thank you to NetGalley, Pen & Sword | Pen & Sword History and C D Peterson for this highly compelling ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

C D Peterson, The American Homefront During WWII Blackouts, Ration-books and Rosie the Riveter, Pen & Sword Pen & Sword History, July 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

This is an uncorrected proof, so my review concentrates on the content and style of the book.

The title of this book provides a flavour of what is to come. However, the immense amount of information C D Peterson has assembled is truly impressive. Although the style is less accessible than the usual Pen & Sword publication, which I usually applaud for its accessibility while remaining factual and well researched, private stories relieve the detailed accounts of government committees and policy making which make up much of the first part of the book. At the same time, Peterson is to be applauded for the attention to this part of the American Homefront. It provides a well-rounded approach to the livelier accounts of people’s responses to the more familiar themes of rationing, the black outs, incarceration of enemy aliens, spies and all the domestic detail of lives away from the front, while dealing with wartime measures and tragedies.

The firsthand accounts are an excellent addition, and together with the four essays about personal experiences on the home front enhance information about experiences that have some similarity to those of Britain and Australia but are also unique. The American political and economic environment, the American approach to joining the war effort overseas as well as that at home makes a fascinating read. There is also a compelling account of the Black American experience and recognition of racism that endured throughout that experience. Women’s experiences, other than their contribution through practical domestic measures is also covered – their membership of the various women’s organisations conducting the war, such as Jaquie Cochran’s WASPs is instructive. Also, the way in which they managed after the war ended with the return of men seared by war , dealing with the impact on children and the jobs they had to relinquish make poignant reading. Snapshots of life in America in 1941 makes interesting reading, particularly with its references to popular culture.

There are extensive endnotes, detailed acknowledgements and some wonderful photos. The attention to detail once again is a feature. The American Homefront makes a good contribution to Pen & Sword publications.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

. “The American Homefront During WWII: Blackouts, Ration-books and Rosie the Riveter” by C. D. Peterson:

“Don’t you know there’s a war on?! Use it up… Wear it out… Make it do… Or do without! Loose Lips Sink Ships! Any Bonds Today? Remember Pearl Harbor!”

These were the slogans echoing across the American home front during World War II. In “The American Homefront During WWII,” C. D. Peterson paints a vivid portrait of an era marked by resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering patriotism.

The journey begins before the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor, exploring the clashes between isolationists and interventionists. America’s first peacetime draft set the stage for a transformation—from a peacetime country to a full wartime economy.

As factories churned out airplanes at a staggering rate, women and Black Americans entered the workforce, reshaping societal norms. Rationing, air raid drills, and scrap drives became part of everyday life. Yet, amidst the hardships, Americans found solace in movies like “Casablanca” and the swinging tunes of Glen Miller.

Peterson weaves together personal accounts, revealing the rigors of daily existence. Black curtains were rigged up, and families huddled during blackouts. Rosie the Riveter symbolized women’s empowerment, while the voice of a young Frank Sinatra swept the nation.

This book captures the extraordinary level of teamwork and camaraderie on the home front. It was a time when there were no strangers—only fellow patriots united in the greatest endeavor of their lives.