THE DIMENSIONS OF THE MILITARY ASCENDANCY DURING US INDUSTRIAL MOBILIZATION FOR WORLD-WAR-II

Growing interest in American political development and in the state bu ilding effects of major wars have combined to rekindle interest in Wor ld War Il's transformation of the U.S. national stare. The most easily identified change was the emergency of a powerful military establishm ent. However, this article criticizes the notion that the military ser vices were independently responsible for their ascendancy, and so embo dy the enhanced autonomy gained by the national state during the war. By examining the historical record of key episodes of mobilization, th is article shows that the military gained semi-stewardship of mobiliza tion only by delegating extensive authority to prime wartime contracto rs, and by relying upon business advisors to augment their weak manage ment capabilities. The military services ascended to national prominen ce precisely because they did not challenge the conspicuous autonomy o f corporate firms.