US Mobilizations in the Twentieth Century: Implications for the Future.

摘要

Four US mobilizations in the twentieth century are compared in terms of several broad macroeconomic variables and assessed in terms of policy initiatives that preceded them. World War I was the least effective in delivering war material to US troops. World War 2, the only ''total'' mobilization, was highly effective, though it proceeded over a four or five-year period. The buildup of the Korean War, a more limited engagement, moved with relative speed. The Vietnam mobilization was essentially a minor increment to the prewar level of defense spending. Manpower sources in all four wars are also identified. Mobilization strategies have undergone frequent modification and were not always adequate to the mobilizations they served. 3 refs., 18 tabs.