Louis Johnson and the arming of America
Subtitle: the Roosevelt and Truman years
By: Keith D. Mcfarland and David L. Roll.
Contributors: Roll, David L. 1940-
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Published: 2005
Place of publication: Bloomington
Language: eng
Number of pages: 452
Subjects: Johnson, Louis Arthur, 1891-1966.; Roosevelt, Franklin D. 1882-1945.; Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972.; United States. Dept. of Defense -- Biography.; Cabinet officers -- United States -- Biography.; United States -- Politics and government -- 1933-1945.; United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1953.; United States -- Military policy.; United States -- Defenses -- History -- 20th century.
Genres: Biography.
Description: The story of U.S. defense policy from the eve of America's entry into WWII to the early years of the Cold War. Louis Johnson was FDR's Assistant Secretary of War and the architect of the industrial mobilization plans that put the nation on a war footing prior to its entry into World War II. Later, as Truman's Secretary of Defense, Johnson was given the difficult job of unifying the armed forces and carrying out Truman's orders to dramatically reduce defense expenditures. In both administrations, he was asked to confront and carry out extremely unpopular initiatives-massive undertakings that each president believed were vital to the nation's security and economic welfare. Johnson's conflicts with Henry Morganthau, Secretary of War Harry H. Woodring, Winston Churchill, Harry Hopkins, Dean Acheson, Averell Harriman, and Paul Nitze find contemporary parallels in the recent disagreements between the national defense establishment and the State Department.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 427-435) and index.