
The Arsenal of Democracy
FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War
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Narrated by:
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Peter Berkrot
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By:
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A. J. Baime
A New York Times best seller.
A dramatic, intimate narrative of how Ford Motor Company went from making automobiles to producing the airplanes that would mean the difference between winning and losing World War II. In 1941, as Hitler’s threat loomed ever larger, President Roosevelt realized he needed weaponry to fight the Nazis - most important, airplanes - and he needed them fast. So he turned to Detroit and the auto industry for help. The Arsenal of Democracy tells the incredible story of how Detroit answered the call, centering on Henry Ford and his tortured son Edsel, who, when asked if they could deliver 50,000 airplanes, made an outrageous claim: Ford Motor Company would erect a plant that could yield a "bomber an hour". Critics scoffed: Ford didn’t make planes; they made simple, affordable cars. But bucking his father’s resistance, Edsel charged ahead. Ford would apply assembly-line production to the American military’s largest, fastest, most destructive bomber; they would build a plant vast in size and ambition on a plot of farmland and call it Willow Run; they would bring in tens of thousands of workers from across the country, transforming Detroit, almost overnight, from Motor City to the “great arsenal of democracy.” And eventually they would help the Allies win the war. Drawing on exhaustive research from the Ford Archives, the National Archives, and the FDR Library, A. J. Baime has crafted an enthralling, character-driven narrative of American innovation that has never been fully told, leaving readers with a vivid new portrait of America - and Detroit - during the war.
©2014 Albert Baime (P)2014 Audible Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...




















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Answered many questions I had about the Fords and our entry into the European War. Narrator was perfect for this project.
Enlightening
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What made the experience of listening to The Arsenal of Democracy the most enjoyable?
An American success storyWhat did you like best about this story?
The hows of the development of our WW2 weapons industryWhat about Peter Berkrot’s performance did you like?
Excellent performanceIf you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
All about the FordsAny additional comments?
Almost a page turner which says a lot for the story lineMostly about the Ford family
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Ford Production in WWII
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What made the experience of listening to The Arsenal of Democracy the most enjoyable?
I really enjoyed the background information. I found I learned a great deal about the difficulties of our build up to WWII. I also found educational and disturbing what a jerk Henry Ford senior wasWhich scene was your favorite?
Not a particular scene, but 's perseverance in getting the project done. Gave me a very new insight into the whole Ford familyIf you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Henry Ford the Tyrant TraitorExcellent story well done
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The birth of American supremacy
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Great review w just enough detail. Amazing true
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Great story and performance
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Great read!!
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Too Focused on Ford and Williow Run
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Fascinating Saga of Detroit Ford in WW2
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