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December 1941: 31 Days That Changed America and Saved the World Hardcover – January 1, 2011

by Craig Shirley (Author)

4.4 653 ratings

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In the days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, eyes in America were focused on the war in Europe or distracted by the elevated mood sweeping the country in the final days of the Great Depression. But when planes dropped out of a clear blue sky and bombed the American naval base and aerial targets in Hawaii, all of that changed. December 1941 takes readers into the moment-by-moment ordeal of a nation waking to war.

Best-selling author Craig Shirley celebrates the American spirit while reconstructing the events that called it to shine with rare and piercing light. By turns nostalgic and critical, he puts readers on the ground in the stir and the thick of the action. Relying on daily news reports from around the country and recently declassified government papers, Shirley sheds light on the crucial diplomatic exchanges leading up to the attack, the policies on internment of Japanese living in the U.S. after the assault, and the near-total overhaul of the U.S. economy for war.

Shirley paints a compelling portrait of pre-war American culture: the fashion, the celebrities, the pastimes. And his portrait of America at war is just as vivid: heroism, self-sacrifice, mass military enlistments, national unity and resolve, and the prodigious talents of Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley aimed at the Axis Powers, as well as the more troubling price-controls and rationing, federal economic takeover, and censorship.

Featuring colorful personalities such as Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and General Douglas MacArthur,December 1941 highlights a period of profound change in American government, foreign and domestic policy, law, economics, and business, chronicling the developments day by day through that singular and momentous month.

December 1941 features surprising revelations, amusing anecdotes, and heart-wrenching stories, and also explores the unique religious and spiritual dimension of a culture under assault on the eve of Christmas. Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the closest thing to war for the Americans was uncoordinated, mediocre war games in South Carolina. Less than thirty days later, by the end of December 1941, the nation was involved in a pitched battle for the preservation of its very way of life, a battle that would forever change the nation and the world.

Endorsements:

"Craig Shirley'sDecember 1941is a riveting narrative history of America in the crucible of the Second World War. A real page turner. Highly recommended."?Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University andNew York Timesbestseller ofThe Wilderness Warrior

"As ever, Craig Shirley has given us a compulsively readable history of great sweep and startling detail. The month in 1941 he has chosen to chronicle did indeed change the way we live now, the way we will live as long as liberty is the organizing principle and animating spirit of America." ?Jon Meacham, best-selling author of American Lion and Franklin and Winston

"Fascinating way to experience the look and the feel, the reactions and the emotion, the strategy, and the painful surprises of those 31 days."-National Review

"It is terrific . . . tremendous report on that decisive month which changed America and the world."-Newt Gingrich
"The book also reveals . . . blockbuster historical moment[s]. Shirley. . . takes a new tack in his book about Pearl Harbor. Instead of just writing how it all went down, his book attempts to give readers a feel for how the country felt 70 years ago. He accomplishes that by providing anecdotal information from nearly 2,000 newspapers and magazines." -US News & World Report

"Craig Shirley, known for creating a you-are-there atmosphere in his earlier books about Ronald Reagan's 1976 and 1980 presidential campaigns, has done it again. This account shows

Print length

645 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Thomas Nelson Inc
Publication date

January 1, 2011
Dimensions

6.25 x 2 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

1595554572
ISBN-13

978-1595554574
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"This book sounds fascinating to me. I am big history buff and I certainly will pick this one up."--Dennis Miller"Offers a rare opportunity to relive that incredible month in a time-travel sort of way, rather than read about it in the hindsight of history. It is a time capsule of the period, and is so compelling it is a hard book to set aside."--Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star"A timely piece of history."--Washingtonian "Enthralling account of the early weeks of World War II on the home front."--Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard"Craig Shirley's December 1941 is flat-out terrific - intelligent, hugely descriptive, extensively researched...and passionate in a way so few histories allow themselves to be anymore."--Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly"I love historical non-fiction. I read it everywhere, in bathroom, wherever I am. But typically it's written from sort of a distant perspective. You went through newspapers and magazines, and all the accounts of time. It gives an immediacy that I think it's difficult to find in these types of things."--Jon Stewart, The Daily Show"I'm confident it'll be a bestseller."--Don Imus"It is terrific . . . tremendous report on that decisive month which changed America and the world."--Newt Gingrich "Worth buying. . . really, really cool."--MSNBC "Excellent book!"--Jon Meacham, former editor of Newsweek and a Pulitzer Prize winning bestselling author "Terrific piece of work!"--Andrea Mitchell, MSNBC "Masterful new book . . . Shirley not only transports us back to that tumultuous time, but reminds this generation that denial about an enemy's intentions can have grave consequences."--Cal Thomas, syndicated columnist "Fascinating book."--FOXNews "Folks, if you want a good read this Christmas season check it out."--Steve Doocy, FOXNews "Successful attempt to capture the sights and sounds of that long-ago era . . . in impressive detail . . . tells us about the attitudes, cultural mores and prejudices of an America on the eve of entry into the second great war."--Human Events "Shirley's day-by-day account manages to shed new light on a critical period in our history."--Military.com "Fascinating way to experience the look and the feel, the reactions and the emotion, the strategy, and the painful surprises of those 31 days."--National Review "Powerful, thickly researched new book."--Reason.com "The book also reveals . . . blockbuster historical moment[s]. Shirley. . . takes a new tack in his book about Pearl Harbor. Instead of just writing how it all went down, his book attempts to give readers a feel for how the country felt 70 years ago. He accomplishes that by providing anecdotal information from nearly 2,000 newspapers and magazines."--US News & World Report "Craig Shirley, known for creating a you-are-there atmosphere in his earlier books about Ronald Reagan's 1976 and 1980 presidential campaigns, has done it again. This account shows us what is possible when the nation is aroused."--Washington Times

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Nelson Inc; First Edition (January 1, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 645 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1595554572
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1595554574
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.95 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 2 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #844,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #13,745 in U.S. State & Local History

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4.4 653 ratings

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Craig Shirley

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Craig Shirley is the author of four critically praised bestselling books on President Reagan, "Reagan's Revolution: The Untold Story of the Campaign That Started It All,""Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign that Changed America," "Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan," and "Reagan Rising: The Decisive Years, 1976-1980." His book "December 1941: 31 Days that Changed America and Saved the World" appeared multiple times on the New York Times bestselling list in December 2011 and January 2012. His book "Last Act," was named Best Narrative” in the nonfiction category by USA Best Books for 2015. He is also the author of the authorized biography of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, "Citizen Newt: The Making of a Reagan Conservative."

Craig is the founder of Shirley & Banister Public Affairs, was chosen in 2005 by Springfield College as their Outstanding Alumnus, and has been named the First Reagan Scholar at Eureka College, Ronald Reagan's alma mater, where he taught a course titled "Reagan 101."

His books have been hailed as the definitive works on the Gipper's campaigns of 1976 and 1980. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Reagan Ranch, Eureka College Board of Trustees and has lectured at the Reagan Library, the FDR Library in Hyde Park, and the Dole Institute in Kansas. The London Telegraph called Shirley as "the best of the Reagan biographers."

Shirley, a widely sought after speaker and commentator, appears regularly on many network and cable shows including NewsMaxTV, FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, ABC. CBS, CNBC, C-SPAN and others. He has also written extensively for the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NewsMax, the Washington Examiner, the Washington Times, the Los Angeles Times, Town Hall, the Weekly Standard, Politico, Reuters and many other publications.

Craig Shirley also edited the book "Coaching Youth Lacrosse for the Lacrosse Foundation." He was also the founder of the Ft. Hunt Youth Lacrosse League and coached there for 14 years with an overall record of 119 wins, 21 losses and 4 ties.

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dijeanne

Amazingly moving and accurate journal of a country headed into war. Mr. Shirley captures the feel and mood like never before

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2011

Verified Purchase

The following is an excerpt from December 11th (pages 241-242). I have read this passage several times and cannot make it through without tears. Craig Shirley captures the mood of the country during that tragic time period like no other book. December 1941 is both moving and compelling, an important story of our American heritage.

"The newest casualty lists rolled in from the Pacific, and now death announcements were beginning to appear in local newspapers. War Department letters were arriving at the homes of grief-stricken parents and newly minted widows. In small town America in 1941, there were few secrets; when someone learned of the loss of a beloved boy, within minutes neighbors knew and would come over to offer condolences. Shortly thereafter the family minister or priest or rabbi was at the home to help console the suffering parents and forlorn family.
"The local newspaper would invariably find out and write up a small story of the boy who'd died, giving his rank and service of record, along with a photo from the family if possible and a quote from the boy's high school football coach or Scoutmaster. Headlines such as "Two Alabamians Die In Fighting Around Hawaii" appeared in papers around the country. Or "Lynn, Hingham Youths Killed at Honolulu" as appeared in the Boston Daily Globe on December 11.
"After the initial gasping shock from the mailman--who painfully knew he was the unwilling messenger of death--came the realization that their son was never coming home again, never bounding into the kitchen again, asking what was for dinner. A boy who had left home, tousle-haired, full of adventure, freckle-faced, toothsome, the light of his parents' life, the joy of his grandparents, the secret love of the girl next door was now dead. His Christian name had often been an afterthought. He was not John but "Johnny." He was not Edward but "Eddie." He was not Thomas but "Tommy." Or he might have had a nickname. Butch, Dutch, Mick, Duke or Barney.
"Now the boy would never know the love of a good woman, or watch his son take his first step, or have a catch with that son, the first time his son would put a razor to his face, see a daughter go off to the prom, walk her down the aisle, know the quiet pride of being a good man among the uncommon men of his country.
"Grey hair would never be combed. His parents would never hold him again, hug him again, and dry his tears again, even as they could not stop their own. The pain and feeling of emptiness and helplessness was unbearable for the thousands of inconsolable parents and grandparents and brothers and sisters. Everybody had a sick, wrenching and wretched feeling in the pit of their stomach. Some filled theirs with alcohol to deaden the pain. Some mothers' hair went white in a matter of days. Some simply withdrew. None would ever get over the loss of their boy."
It was so final, so useless, so stupid, so heartrending. But it was also as necessary as it was tragic.

6 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Solid history book

Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2023

Verified Purchase

The book details each December day in 1941 (as expected,) showing how Americans went on with daily life, which generally on edge waiting for an attack on the continental U.S. It's very interesting how Americans just agreed with governments mandates with little documented pushback. Probably wouldn't happen today.

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Casey

Great history book written as a great story

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2012

Verified Purchase

I really loved this book. The author presents a lot of the history via news accounts at the time. This is how we are used to getting news now and this makes you feel like you were there. Leading up the the attack on Dec 7, the newspapers where filled with interesting stories and vignettes. There was some news of the possibility of war, but it was in the background. After Pearl Harbor the news gradually covered less and less "lifestyle" news and reported more and more on the war.

As the war began to affect everyday people and their lives, the war news became more personalized and written for the average person. Of course, there was a lot of propaganda and disinformation from all sides. Because the news was controlled from the American side, Japanese coverage of events, which were filled with disinformation, were the stories that were spread around the world.

The American press felt it was necessary to present the war and the Roosevelt administration in the best light. I was surprised to learn that the American people didn't learn about the level of destruction at Pearl Harbor for a long time. The full extent was only leaked out slowly. I have seen the newsreel footage of the Arizona burning and I thought that the American people saw those newsreels within days. But there was strict censorship of war news. The Americans were angered about the sneak attack, but they had no ideas that nearly 3000 Americans were killed.

The book also shows the fear and paranoia of the people on the coasts, especially the West coast.

By relying on the daily news reports, you really feel what it was like to live through those times. This is how history should be taught in schools.

6 people found this helpful

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Ronald Reagan II

Excellent history of Dec 1941

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2023

Verified Purchase

Great read. Does a wonderful job setting the international stage while showing the state of the home front and lack of preparedness by the US govt. for the attack on Pearl Harbor. The author does a nice job illustrating what ordinary Americans were doing in December 1941. Highly recommended.

One person found this helpful

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John Hansen

What's Past Is Prologue

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2022

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The headline is a quote form Shakespeare, and it is true. As one born between WW2 and the Korean War, I didn't know much about the times and events that led to WW2. The author's approach by using news and other sources from that one month was compelling and brought understanding without taking sides. For me it shed light on how much history repeats itself and the intertwining of the past with the present and the future. This book should be required reading at the high school level, because not everyone goes to college.

4 people found this helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Doyle

Quality and accuracy of content.

Reviewed in Canada on February 17, 2022

Verified Purchase

An outstanding historical account of America in the days leading up tp and after Pearl Harbor.
A must read for any serious student of the historical period.

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