America in the Forties

Selected Readings

179 Selected Readings I N PR EPA R I NG T H IS M A N USCR IP T, I drew intensively on the literature about the 1940s. I used several primary sources, although most of the books I consulted are secondary sources written by leading scholars in the field. Here I list and describe some of the most important of these works for any reader seeking further information on the topic each chapter focuses on. 1. A Prelude to War Justus D. Doenecke and John E. Wilz, From Isolation to War, 1931–1941 (Wheeling, IL: Harlan Davidson, 2003). This book skillfully traces the road the United States took to entering World War II. The authors describe the setting and the people involved in the diplomacy between 1931 and 1941. Using a sort of chess-match style, they explain the reasons for Allied and Axis diplomacy during this crucial period. At this time, the United States was led by one of the most astute presidents in its history, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Realizing that the American people were reluctant to go to war, he had to proceed carefully as he tried to aid our allies and block advances by Germany and Japan. Assisting our allies was a controversial matter for the president. To many, they seemed doomed to defeat, and perhaps the United States could live with the consequences of an Axis victory. If the United States did aid the Allies, maybe England, Russia, and China might be able to fight the war for us. At the other extreme, many cynics even suspected that Roosevelt was not really trying to avoid entering the war. These issues were the main ones being considered by an increasingly anxious American public prior to 1941. 180 S E L E C T E D R E A D I N G S This book explains the background of all the key decisions made by the major players of the time. It puts the reader in both sides’ shoes and gives a sense of how difficult were the choices Roosevelt made. The stakes were so high that there was virtually no margin for error. Although a relatively short work, From Isolation to War is very thorough and tells a complete story. It contains many maps and photos to give a clear picture of the times. It indicates how leading historians feel about the key decisions that were being made. The authors include an extensive bibliography to help the reader do further research on the matter. This book definitely explains the diplomacy during one of the most critical periods in foreign policy for the American people. For additional information on the prelude to war, see Robert Divine, Roosevelt and World War II (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 1969); David Kennedy, Freedom from Fear (New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1999); James MacGregor Burns, Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (San Diego: Harvest Books, 1970); Cabell Phillips, The 1940s: Decade of Triumph and Trouble (New York: Macmillan, 1975); and A. Russell Buchanan, The United States and World War II, vol. 1 (New York: Harper and Row, 1964). 2. Life on the Home Front Allen M. Winkler, Home Front USA: America during World War II (Wheeling, IL: Harlan Davidson, 2000). Home Front USA is a valuable tool in understanding how ordinary Americans lived during World War II. The author’s main theme is that mobilization was the overriding theme that changed America during the war. According to Winkler, it had as significant an impact on America as on the outcome of the war. It affected business, labor unions, and the role of government itself. “While the nation suffered no physical destruction within continental borders, the American people’s involvement in the war brought economic, social, and political change to an unprecedented degree.” Although all social groups were affected, there were winners and losers at home. Most Americans’ lives were changed in a positive way by the war. Winkler focuses especially on the positive effect of the war on women and blacks, both socially and economically. He also emphasizes that outsiders (those groups not well integrated into American society) fared less well S E L E C T E D R E A D I N G S 181 during the war. For Japanese Americans, in particular, the war brought only burdens. In this relatively short book (around one hundred pages), the author covers a wide range of topics. Drawing...