{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Paul Truesdell Podcast","title":"The Essential National Security Economics of the U.S. Navy - Part 5","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":803,"description":"World War II — America’s Shipbuilding ArsenalTo really grasp how precarious today’s naval shipbuilding situation is, you have to rewind to the 1940s. During World War II, the United States didn’t just build ships — it built an entire floating armada at a pace the world had never seen before and has never seen since.The scale is hard to put into modern terms. Between 1941 and 1945, American shipyards produced more than 6,000 naval vessels of all kinds: aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and thousands of support ships. On top of that, the country churned out more than 2,700 Liberty ships, the cargo vessels that carried troops, tanks, and supplies across the Atlantic and Pacific.Where did this happen? Everywhere.On the West Coast, Henry Kaiser’s yards in Richmond, California, became legendary. These were the “Liberty ship factories,” where whole ships rolled off assembly lines like cars in Detroit. One Liberty ship was famously built in under five days from keel laying to launch. Portland, Oregon, had its own booming yards, building escort carriers and troop transports. Seattle and Los Angeles also played major roles, feeding the Pacific theater.On the East Coast, Bethlehem Steel operated yards in Baltimore and New York. Newport News, of course, was already turning out carriers and battleships. Smaller yards in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Boston were launching destroyers and submarines. In the Gulf, places like Mobile, Alabama, and Pascagoula, Mississippi, roared with activity. Even inland rivers like the Ohio and Mississippi had smaller yards building landing craft and auxiliary vessels.And yes, Florida had its role. Jacksonville and Tampa contributed with smaller yards, producing tankers, freighters, and auxiliary ships. Tampa Shipyards, in particular, was active, laying the foundation for the commercial business that Steinbrenner later grew. During the war, every available waterfront was pressed into service.The key point is that...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/115-XsjkdwCpJ99xv-8oZ76t6jr8ScWEC5MYSKzL0ig/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS82MTUx/OWRiNTc0NTk0Y2Nk/M2VjYTliMGVhN2Zm/YTZkZi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}