Mobilizing America

Book excerpt: "This splendid biography does belated justice to one of the unsung heroes of the Second World War. Robert P. Patterson, a quiet man of commanding ability and sturdy purpose, played a key role in the mobilization of American men and resources that made victory possible. Mobilizing America illuminates both the integrity of the man and the complexity of his achievement."—Arthur Schlesinger, Jr."In Keith Eiler's masterful and meticulously researched account, the unsung pillar of America's victorious mobilization for World War II, Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson—a man of rare character and judgment and an 'incomparably purposeful mobilizer'—is at long last given his due."—Lieutenant General John H. Cushman, U. S. Army, Retired"Students of the Second World War, even professional military officers, are often woefully uninformed about the vast and complex war effort waged on the home front to provide the supplies, trained manpower, and munitions necessary to ultimate victory. Keith Eiler has found a way to portray this mobilization effort vividly by telling the story through the eyes of Undersecretary of War Robert P. Patterson, a modest but dynamic man whose contributions, in the author's words, were 'comparable only to those of the army's chief of staff, General George C. Marshall, and of the president himself.'"—John S. D. Eisenhower"In an era when the common defense is no longer considered the responsibility of every citizen but instead is provided by hundreds of billions of tax dollars, technical experts, and esoteric systems and strategies, it is reassuring to be reminded of the sincerely patriotic efforts of a man like Patterson. Keith Eiler's book is well researched, lucidly written, and full of insights and analysis that go beyond the usual biography of an important public personality."—J. Garry Clifford, University of Connecticut