CONNECTICUT INDUSTRIES UNITE FOR WWII VICTORY
New England Book Festival Selects “Connecticut Industries Unite” as a winning 2024 submission!
bY SHARON L. COHEN
In 1946, the Connecticut State Library Department of War Records asked companies statewide to write about their WWII adjustments, challenges, and achievements. For the first time, you can now read a representative number of these personal industry narratives.
• Management explains how it converted facilities, switched to war manufacturing, confronted labor and materials shortages, and reconverted for postwar success.
• Industries narrate how they innovated in less time than thought possible.
• Examples of all industrial areas—textiles to land, sea, and aircraft production—and work accomplished in all eight Connecticut counties.
• Sidebars provide info on products made—from military boots to radar.
• Pertinent to America 250, U.S. remembrances, and yearly celebrations.
TESTIMONIALS & REVIEWS
“Sharon L. Cohen’s book outlines in precise detail how Connecticut took on the job of defeating the Axis. It examines the performance of several diverse companies, offering a nuts-and-bolts glimpse into the state’s and nation’s massive war effort. She has created a valuable addition to our understanding of how the U.S. coped with the greatest crisis of modern times.”
“This book shows how Connecticut industries, such as those for firearms and advanced weaponry, immediately applied their long-term expertise and knowhow to develop necessary and vital improvements and innovations for the war victory.”
“It is often acknowledged that New England mills became the fabric of their individual communities, providing employment, social connections, and many avenues for community membership. This book factually and engagingly presents examples of Connecticut’s industrial traditions and the people who made it happen.”
“Sharon L. Cohen’s work fills an important void in our understanding of a vital part of Connecticut’s history. The state’s role in producing the weapons and supplies needed for the Revolutionary and Civil Wars is well-known. This book not only documents the Nutmeg State’s contributions to victory in World War II, but highlights the impact of towns and individuals.”