Warship Builders: An Industrial History of U.S. Naval Shipbuilding 1922-1945

The first scholarly study of the U.S. naval shipbuilding industry from the early 1920s to the end of World War II, when American shipyards produced the world's largest fleet, is called Warship Builders. It identifies the distinct features of American shipbuilding methods, technology development, and management practices that enabled U.S. yards to outproduce their foreign counterparts, such as electric arc welding and prefabrication methods. The U.S. government's investments into shipbuilding facilities dwarfed those of British, Japanese, and German counterparts, enabling American builders to deliver a vast fleet that played a pivotal role in global naval combat.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 360 pages
\n Publication date: 30 November 2020
\n Publisher: Naval Institute Press
\n

Warship Builders is a groundbreaking scholarly exploration of the United States naval shipbuilding industry, spanning from the early 1920s to the conclusion of World War II. During this period, American shipyards emerged as the world's dominant force, producing the largest fleet that played a pivotal role in defeating the Axis powers across the globe. This colossal endeavor, requiring vast resources and employing an immense workforce, involved the mobilization of the nation's leading industrial enterprises, including shipbuilding, engineering, and steel industries. The resulting warships showcased remarkable technical complexity, surpassing any other weapons platform in existence.

In his comprehensive study, Thomas Heinrich delves into the distinct features of American shipbuilding methods, technology development, and management practices that enabled U.S. yards to outproduce their foreign counterparts. Through systematic comparisons with British, Japanese, and German naval construction, Heinrich highlights the unique characteristics that set American shipyards apart.

One notable aspect is the extensive adoption of electric arc welding and prefabrication methods by U.S. and German shipyards. These innovations played a crucial role in their ability to produce warships at an unprecedented scale. While their British and Japanese counterparts lagged in these technologies, the United States and Germany significantly advanced their shipbuilding processes, setting the stage for their remarkable production records during World War II.

The book also explores the differing approaches to naval construction among the four nations. While the American and Japanese navies relied heavily on government-owned navy yards, the British and German navies had a majority of their combatants built in corporately-owned yards. This contrast challenges the prevalent notion that only U.S. industrial mobilization relied on private enterprise.

Furthermore, the U.S. government's investments into shipbuilding facilities in both private and government-owned shipyards were significantly greater than those of its British, Japanese, and German counterparts. This financial support enabled American builders to deliver a vast fleet that played a pivotal role in the Allied victory.

Warship Builders is a valuable contribution to the field of naval history, shedding light on the complex dynamics of the U.S. naval shipbuilding industry and its contributions to global security. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the technological advancements, management practices, and strategic decisions that shaped the development of the world's largest fleet during a critical period of history.

\n Weight: 726g\n
Dimension: 204 x 236 x 31 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781682475379\n \n