[kabar]

We were a different country populated by different people than now. They were tougher having gone thru the Depression, more patriotic, and totally committed to winning the war as a matter of survival. And we had the good fortune of having a country untouched by the war with our industrial capability intact and secure.

My confidence in our ability to overcome any obstacle in our path is founded on what was done in just 3 and one-half years. We can hypothesize all we want, but the record is clear about what we did. It is mind-boggling and still hard to comprehend. I was born in 1943 and have some perspective and experience to place it in some context. It is remarkable. It is sad to see how this nation has declined in terms of our confidence and patriotism. Once more, here are some of the statistics:

During the three and one half years of WWII, the US produced 10 battleships, 27 aircraft carriers, 110 escort carriers, 211 submarines, 907 Cruisers/Destroyers/Escorts, 82,000 landing craft, 124,000 ships of all types, and 310,000 aircraft. And this was done from virtually a standing start. Anyone who thinks that razing Pearl Harbor would have put it out for quite a while underestimates what happens when the US mobilizes its economy and industry along with 12 million under arms.

[mountn man]

During the three and one half years of WWII, the US produced 10 battleships, 27 aircraft carriers, 110 escort carriers, 211 submarines, 907 Cruisers/Destroyers/Escorts, 82,000 landing craft, 124,000 ships of all types, and 310,000 aircraft

You've repeatedly mentioned this.

And while all true.

And all laudable, it's important to note that these new ships didn't arrive in the first 6 months or year. Like I stated earlier, the Essex, the first carrier built during the war wasn't ready until mid '43.

1-1/2 years after Pearl Harbor.

The vast majority of capital ships came after mid '44.