Administrative Histories of U.S. Civilian Agencies: World War II
Few studies have been made of the civilian agencies which were charged with the awesome tasks and responsibilities of managing a nation at total war. The Administrative Histories of World War II Civilian Agencies of the Federal Government were originally produced under the Second World War History Program of the Federal Government. The histories were initially the work of the War Records Section of the Division of Administrative Management of the Bureau of the Budget. In March 1942, the program evolved into the Committee on Records of War Administration. Members of the Committee were well known historians, economists, and political scientists. The issues addressed in these records recur frequently throughout modern history. Inflationary pressures, oil and fuel shortages, discussions of rationing, dislocations in manufacturing and in the labor force, and many other problems appear throughout the collection and offer opportunities for contrast with current events. The growth of war production and problems in price stabilization, transportation and shipping, manpower, rationing, federal housing, and the allocation of raw materials demanded prompt coordination with scores of other wartime activities. In addition, the histories offer valuable insight into the development of agencies devoted expressly to the regulation of the country at war, including alien property and war assets, censorship, civilian defense, community war services, defense-related education, scientific research for the war effort, and public health during wartime.