Remarkable as it may seem today, there once was a time when the president of the United States could pick up the phone and ask the president of General Motors to resign his position and take the reins of a great national enterprise. And the CEO would oblige, no questions asked, because it was his patriotic duty.

A comprehensive overview of the ramp up of industrialization in the USA from a sleeping peace time economy to a roaring war time behemoth. Yes, it glorifies capitalism and industry at the expense of unions and government. However, the individual American worker is not given short shrift and often is made heroic.

It was heroic for the entire business enterprise, from the manufacturer of the smallest bolt and nut to the worker assembling B-29 bombers on a frigid Kansas plain. From the assembly line to the financier, all of America joined in in what was a most fascinating, vital time for the United States. If you want to understand how America became a "superpower", Freedom's Forge is a good place to start. ( )

Strongly biased towards a business perspective, particularly in his peroration. Still, a very compelling story about how American manufacturers ramped up to equip and support the US and its allies during WW2. Some of the statistics are dubious but the role of Bill Knudsen and Henry Kaiser in a powerful call to action that changed manufacturing for then and the future. The aura of the New Deal and the friction of a burgeoning union were only two of the serious obstacles that perseverated until the end of the war. ( )

Well written and interesting bit of history that surely has not received more attention, at least for popular audiences. It seems WWII is a nearly endless source of stories worth telling. Recommend this highly. ( )

A compelling story of how American industry mobilized during the war to produce gargantuan amounts of war materiel. Knudsen and Henry Kaiser were amazing titans of industry that made it all happen. Too many details, like I many planes they produced an hour, how many ships, rifles etc. I got the point and didn't need so many details but the books is worth a detour.

It is the story of how the ingenuity and energy of the American private sector was turned loose to equip the finest military force on the face of the earth. In an era of gathering threats and shrinking defense budgets, it is a timely lesson told by one of the great historians of our time. ( )