Summary Of Michael C. Adams 'Best War Ever'
War of the American people on the home front
Bibliography
Adams, Michael C.C., The Best War Ever: America and World War II, (Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1994), 114-135
In chapter six of Michael C.C Adams book he argues against the myth that war ushered in a time of prosperity for Americans. And one can defiantly see how his argument holds true not only by the historical facts he uses to disprove the myth that war ushered in a time of prosperity. Adams also brings into his argument the issue of race, and how there was almost no unity in the face of war between the races. Also to add to his argument to disprove the myth he also states that prosperity affected a select few such as large businesses as where small businesses went for broke. All these issues add up to a time of prosperity being a big myth that Americans have brought into for generations. …show more content…
Now Adams does make two valid points Adams points out that the economic recovery that the United States experienced 1940 to 1945 was due to special circumstances. Economically the government spent liberally for the war and they spent in the billions of dollars, and one of the biggest expenses they had was production contracts that were given to big businesses or producers. However from the economic prospect in the short term the production contracts and overwhelming need for workers in the home front led to an economic boom in America. As American economic historian Robert Higgs points out ‘‘during the war the government pulled the equivalent of 22 percent of the prewar labor force into the armed forces. Viola, the unemployment rate dropped to a very low level. '
Bibliography
Adams, Michael C.C., The Best War Ever: America and World War II, (Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1994), 114-135
In chapter six of Michael C.C Adams book he argues against the myth that war ushered in a time of prosperity for Americans. And one can defiantly see how his argument holds true not only by the historical facts he uses to disprove the myth that war ushered in a time of prosperity. Adams also brings into his argument the issue of race, and how there was almost no unity in the face of war between the races. Also to add to his argument to disprove the myth he also states that prosperity affected a select few such as large businesses as where small businesses went for broke. All these issues add up to a time of prosperity being a big myth that Americans have brought into for generations. …show more content…
Now Adams does make two valid points Adams points out that the economic recovery that the United States experienced 1940 to 1945 was due to special circumstances. Economically the government spent liberally for the war and they spent in the billions of dollars, and one of the biggest expenses they had was production contracts that were given to big businesses or producers. However from the economic prospect in the short term the production contracts and overwhelming need for workers in the home front led to an economic boom in America. As American economic historian Robert Higgs points out ‘‘during the war the government pulled the equivalent of 22 percent of the prewar labor force into the armed forces. Viola, the unemployment rate dropped to a very low level. '