December 1941

31 Days That Changed America and Saved the World

By: Craig Shirley, P.X. Kelley - contributor

Narrated by: Tom Parks

Length: 24 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

In the days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, America was largely focused on the war in Europe, but when planes dropped out of a clear blue sky and bombed the American naval base and aerial targets in Hawaii, everything changed in an instant. December 1941 takes you into the moment-by-moment ordeal of a nation waking to war.

In December 1941, bestselling author Craig Shirley celebrates the American spirit while reconstructing the events that called it to shine with rare and piercing light. Shirley puts listeners on the ground 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 the internment of Japanese people living in the U.S. after the assault, and the near-total overhaul of the U.S. economy to prepare for war.

Shirley paints a compelling portrait of pre-war American culture—from the fashion and the celebrities to common pastimes. His portrait of America at war is just as vivid, highlighting:

• The surge in heroism, self-sacrifice, mass military enlistments, and national unity
• The prodigious talents of Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley
• Troubling price-controls and rationing, federal economic takeover, and censorship

Featuring colorful personalities including 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 battle for the preservation of its very way of life—a battle that would forever change the nation and the world.

©2013 Craig Shirley (P)2022 Thomas Nelson

No Revisionist History

Craig Shirley does an expert job as always of setting the stage of life in America in December 1941. He literally takes it one day at a time. The approach is great. He doesn’t share the ugly details, the ones that by virtue of nonstop propaganda are to cause immediate offense, not the good ones. People in 1941 were imperfect sinners just as we are today. So it’s a breath of fresh air for a historian to not spew their personal hate and judgement over events in the past. And then in the height of arrogance make presumptions over what should have happened. Thank you Craig Shirley!

They literally read newspapers to you!

I am a true World War II buff, and enjoy reading everything about all aspects of the war. I was very disappointed to find out this 30 day recap is literally someone reading the newspaper headlines to you day by day. Telling you what was playing at the movies, and what social events were happening that day. If it sounds entertaining, it’s really not!