How the China narrative may be changing
Right now, there’s this strong narrative that China’s government can do no wrong. China is unstoppable juggernaut. This view is about eight years out of […]
WWII
Industrial mobilization for WWII: How 20,000 companies made production commitments prior to war
Here is a piece on how assistant secretary of war for industrial mobilization Louis Johnson approached readiness in 1938 — prior to the break out […]
The problem of shipbuilding capacity in expanding the Navy’s fleet
We’ve paired our shipbuilding capacity down to the bone. You see it not just in shipbuilding but in ship maintenance. We just can’t get ships […]
The indecision problem of capital investment during times of crisis
One of the biggest lessons I had reading through WWII industrial mobilization literature is the waffling that goes on in the early days. Companies are […]
Was Eisenhower’s military-industrial speech a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Eisenhower was going to call this new animal the “military-industrial-congressional complex,” which most would agree today is a pretty accurate description of the system since […]
Effectiveness over Efficiency: Preparing the US Industrial Base for Mobilization
Mike Petters, President and CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries: “Lack of resiliency comes from an overemphasis on efficiency at expense of risk management. I was […]
Aircraft production during WWII — US output far greater than combined enemy production
From 1941 onward aircraft production in the United States exceeded the combined output of both its major enemies by a generous margin. The implications of […]
Nassim Taleb says prepare for the worst-case in fat-tailed events like pandemics and war
Russ Roberts: Another way to say it–and, again, to put it into folksy terms that I also got from you–is that you care about–you don’t […]
Is small business hurt by industrial mobilization? Lessons from WWII.
As a result of the impact of the gigantic national defense and war programs on our American economy, small business enterprise in the United States […]
What worked in Germany’s WWII Air Force?
Here is Admiral Rickover providing insight into innovative organizations: Admiral RICKOVER. This group is responsible for the design, the development, and the construction and operation […]