SELLING THE ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY

Homefront Magazines tell the full story of the weapons, including fighter planes, tanks, ships and guns, that America produced during the war to defeat the Axis powers.
Also, it shows how the American population were ‘sold’ to those at home through the countless advertisements that appeared in popular magazines.
Though well-known companies such as General Motors, Ford, Kelvinator and BFGoodrich and a whole host of others could no longer sell their products to consumers, they instead turned their factories towards supplying the ‘Arsenal of Democracy’. In order to keep their names in the public spotlight, these companies advertised in great detail the weapons they were building.
Cadillac touted its efforts in supplying components for Sherman tanks and P-38 Lightning fighters; instead of building cars in Detroit, Ford produced B-24 Liberator bombers and Jeeps; and the home appliance company Kelvinator built aircraft components and flame-throwers.
The story behind these iconic advertisements, many of them complemented with stunning visuals reproduced in resplendent colour, is a unique aspect of World War II history that will both surprise and delight.