Washington Goes to War

David Brinkley was born in 1920 Wilmington NC and wrote for his hometown newspaper while still in high school. After Army service he joined NBC News and became famous on television, winning many awards. This book is journalism, not history, in covering the many colorful characters that flourished in what was a sleepy provincial town. This helps to understand life in those days. The 'Acknowledgments' mentions the many who helped; Charles Curtis and Clifford Sloan began gathering this material. There is no 'Index'. 'A Note on Sources' mentions the others who contributed to this book. If "history books" tend to concentrate on names, dates, and battles this is an addition or correction. It is interesting and worth reading even if it is necessarily incomplete ("my own observations and experiences"). In 1941 an ordinary citizen could walk into the White House grounds (p.84). The story on page 43 about the Enigma coding machine differs from other published accounts and seems improbable but colorful. Before the war Washington shut down for summer (p.194). Air-conditioning later allowed year-round operations. Commuting to work was difficult for many. The local Washington newspapers were mostly against Roosevelt and the New Deal. Housing was difficult given the expansion of the population (p.231). Tires were scarce, gasoline, food, and clothing were rationed. Congress had (and still has) its perquisites (p.195). The President and the military got all the money and power they asked for (p.196). What was the average Congressman like (p.206)? [Shouldn't that date be "February 1942" (p.211)?] Brinkley describes the older system of paying income taxes (pp.216-217). The Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank proposed paying taxes by payroll deductions (p.217). [Today the FED still gets this cash.] The story on pages 233-235 seems like a personal experience. Chapter IX has some details of the housing shortages. [If peasants had pictures of Woodrow Wilson (p.255) it was because their countries gained independence after WW I.] The last chapter tells about FDR's final months. This memoir is a good addition to any history of the 1940s and is worth reading by itself. I suspect a lot was omitted to limit the pages.

By sheer coincidence, I read Ben Bradlee's memoir, A GOOD LIFE, Andy Rooney's MY WAR and David Brinkley's WASHINGTON GOES TO WAR in immediate succession.Each of these books covers a different aspect of America's involvement in World War II. Taken as a grouping, these three may be the definitive report of the social history of the moment, as impacted by that War. Obviously, Tom Brokaw's book of individual reminiscences, THE GREATEST GENERATION, must be included with this list as well.In common with all of these others, David Brinkley, too, is an excellent writer who makes history lively and interesting. As with each of the other books mentioned in this group, WASHINGTON GOES TO WAR can stand alone on its own merits. Yet each of these books gains synergistically by being read in tandem with the others.This was a fascinating moment in modern history, and David Brinkley tells tales that most readers would have no other way of learning.

This is one fun book. Brinkley is able to re-create how Washington DC went from a sleepy village to the thriving community it is now. Read how those crummy government buildings were only supposed to be temporary. How those girls came for work from the farms, bought leg makeup, and stayed. How the Japanese and German ambassadors were placed under guard in a mansion and still couldn't get along. Recommended to anyone who has an interest in the homefront during WWII.

"Washington Goes to War" is an extremely insightful and interesting book. It provides a unique view of history. I learned things that I could never have found in a text book. The book often dealt with individuals and how they had an impact on the whole, rather than just explaining events. I learned a great deal about what Washington was like during the time surrounding WWII and how that connects to what is like today. I also learned a lot about WWII and how Roosevelt dealt with issues he was confronted with. I definitely recommend this book to people who want to see the personal side of history rather than just the facts.

Imagine, being able to eat your lunch on the White House lawn! This was once possible. David Brinkley brings out the humor and silliness as well as seriousness of the storm clouds of approaching war. As he descirbed it, Washington was not like New York or Paris. It was a sleepy Southern town, that just happened to be the HQ of the Federal Government. Anyone interested in American history will have fun with this book. Much of it is downright funny. The diplomats who wont talk to each other is like scenes out of the movie Casablanca. The woman who was told by the Sanitation Dept. to get rid of her bricks by leaving them on the bus. I reread bits of the book when I need a laugh. Keep Washington Goes to War in a Prominent Place.