The outbreak of World War II in Europe in 1939 led to cautious attempts to raise volunteer organisations among American men and women, to back the armed forces in the event of the USA becoming directly involved in the conflict. The attack on Pearl Harbor caused a huge surge of patriotic response, and voluntary enlistment in a wide range of armed forces auxiliary and civilian support services swelled vastly. Looking firstly at the background and general character of wartime life in the States, this book covers a number of these services, providing an interesting comparison with the conditions on the British Home Front and the experiences of other countries caught up in the war, examining organisations from the Red Cross to the Coast Guard and for the first time, containing full-colour reconstructions of over a dozen uniformed services.

INTRODUCTION: the impact of World War II - public mood - saving and recycling - rationing - clothing - employment - sports - internment·ENEMY AND HOMEGROWN FACISM: U-Boats - Japanese shelling, bombing and balloons - the German-American Bund·HOME DEFENSE & PREMILITARY TRAINING: office of Civil Defense - Reserve Officers Training Corps - Civilian Military Training Camps; State Defense Forces·PATRIOTIC SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS: United Service Organizations - Daughters of the Defenders of the Republic - American Women's Voluntary Services - Bundles for America - National Security Women's Corps - National Women's Council of the Navy League·HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS: American Red Cross - Public Health Service - American Women's Hospitals reserve Corps - Women's Ambulance & Defense Corps of America - Junior American Nurse Inc - American Field Service·MARITIME SERVICES: Army Transport Service - Coast and Geodetic Survey - Merchant Marine - US Coastguard Auxiliary·AERONAUTICAL SERVICES: Air Transport Command - British Flying Training Schools - Civil Air Patrol - Relief Wings Inc - Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron - Women's Airforce Service Pilots·THE WORKFORCE: Civilian Conservation Corps - "Rosie the Riveter": Women Ordnance Workers - Women's Land Army·CHILDREN AT WAR: Boy & Girl Scouts - Victory Corps·SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY·PLATE COMMENTARIES·INDEX