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Rearming for the Cold War, 1945-1960 / Elliott V. Converse III.

by Converse, Elliott Vanveltner.

Washington, D.C. : Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 2012.

United States. Department of Defense -- Procurement -- History -- 20th century.

Weapons systems -- United States -- History -- 20th century.

Military research -- United States -- History -- 20th century.

United States -- Armed Forces -- Weapons systems -- History -- 20th century.

United States -- Armed Forces -- Procurement -- History -- 20th century.

9780160911323 (hardback)

History of acquisition in the Department of Defense ; v. 1.

xiii, 766 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm

Chapter 1: World War II: A Watershed -- Chapter 2: Organizing For National Security: OSD And Acquisition, 1945-1949 -- Coordination of research and development prior to the National Security Act -- Research and Development Board -- Coordination of procurement prior to the National Security Act -- Munitions board -- Chapter 3: Response To War: OSD And Acquisition, 1950-1953 -- Rearmament: purposes and organization -- Requirements estimates and production schedules -- Production difficulties -- Attack on production delays -- Production priorities -- Research and development -- Chapter 4: Mission And Materiel: The Army And Acquisition, 1945-1953 -- Army, 1945-1953: an overview -- Organization for acquisition -- Research and development -- Procurement and production -- Chapter 5: Emergence Of The Weapon System Concept: The Air Force And Acquisition, 1945-1953 -- Air Force, 1945-1953: an overview -- Organizing to exploit science and technology -- Determining requirements -- Managing the acquisition process -- Chapter 6: Air Force And The Aircraft Manufacturing Industry -- Industry overview -- Air Foarce and the industry's postwar crisis -- Air Force, Boeing, and B-47 production -- Employment of retired military officers in industry -- Chapter 7: Decentralization And Fragmentation: The Navy And Acquisition, 1945-1953 -- Overview of the navy, 1945-1953 -- Organization for acquisition -- Acquisition of a nuclear weapons delivery capability -- Marine Corps and acquisition: the Amtracs -- Chapter 8: Centralization Begins: OSD And Acquisition, 1953-1960 -- Eisenhower Administration and national defense -- Organization for Acquisition -- Robertson Committee -- Acquisition workforce -- Chapter 9: Ascendancy Of The Weapon System Concept: The Air Force And Acquisition, 1953-1960 -- Air Force in the 1950s -- Organization for Acquisition -- Weapon system concept and the acquisition process -- B-58 strategic bomber -- Weapon system concept and ballistic missiles -- Chapter 10: Toward Centralization And The Systems Approach: The Navy And Acquisition, 1953-1960 -- Navy in the Eisenhower years -- Acquisition Organization and Management -- Naval aviation: toward the weapon system approach -- Chapter 11: Creating A Missile And Rocket Force: The Army And Acquisition, 1953-1960 -- Nuclear army of the Eisenhower era -- Centralization of Research and Development Management -- Attack on lead time -- Missile acquisition and industry relationships -- Chapter 12: Conclusion -- Appendix 1 -- Appendix 2 -- List of abbreviations -- Notes on sources and selected bibliography -- Acknowledgments -- Index.

Book Description: The first publication in a multivolume series on the history of the acquisition of major weapon systems by the Department of Defense, author Elliott Converse presents a meticulously researched overview of changes in acquisition policies, organizations, and processes within the United States military establishment during the decade and a half following World War II. Many of the changes that shaped the nature and course of weapons research and development, production, and contracting through the end of the century were instituted between 1945 and 1960; many of the problems that have repeatedly challenged defense policymakers and acquisition professionals also first surfaced during these years. This study is the first to combine the histories of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and the military services into one account. The volume is organized chronologically, with individual chapters addressing the roles of OSD, the Army, Navy and Air Force in two distinct periods.

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