The latest edition in the Osprey Elite series is on the the US Home Front during WWII. Like other nations involved in the conflict that had not been overrun by the enemy, patriotism ran high. There were a huge number of organizations that sprang up to help support various aspects of the war.

This included such widespread organizations like Civil Defense, which helped to patrol the nation's borders and eventually came to encompass a large number of people and an equally large bureaucracy. This group was quite active through the early Cold War and eventually became Homeland Security.

A number of Service Organizations also sprang up during this time that include some still active today, the United Service Organization (USO) probably the biggest of these. Humanitarial services like the Red Cross and Public Health Organization were also quite active.

Many services came about due to the lack of trained younger men to fill them as so many had been called into service. This included a variety of Maritime Services, Aeronautical Services and Workforce Organizations. Even children were caught up in it with the Boy Scouts and Sea Scouts.

The author covers as best he can in 64 pages, the basic structure and purpose of each of these myriad services and how they affected life at home. All is superbly illustrated by Stephen Walsh in his color charts as well as an excellent selection of period photographs.

Overall another superlative Osprey book and one that is both an interesting and enjoyable read. I'm sure you will agree.

Febreuary 2008.

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