Mobilize

How to Reboot the American Industrial Base and Stop World War III

By: Shyam Sankar, Madeline Hart

Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross

From the CTO of Palantir comes a bold call to arms for resurrecting America’s industrial base, and winning the defense technology race that will define the twenty-first century.

America is in an undeclared state of emergency. Not since the Cold War has the US faced such powerful enemies—and our military isn’t ready. Shyam Sankar, Chief Technology Officer of Palantir, issues an urgent call to action: Mobilize.

The American industrial base once underwrote American victory. Builders and workers rallied to win World War II. For most of the twentieth century, great American companies from General Mills to Chrysler had defense businesses that sent mankind into space and won the Cold War. But the forges fell silent and the furnaces went dark. America’s innovators and warfighters were ripped apart. Now China, not America, leads the world in manufacturing. America is the underdog. The good news is, we’ve been here before.

Mobilize tells the remarkable true stories of the Americans who moved heaven and earth to produce for our troops and help our country win the twentieth century. And it exposes the shocking blunders that broke the Pentagon and weakened our military.

There’s a war for America’s future, stymied between the forces of complacency and change. If we empower exceptional individuals and harness the power of capitalism and competition, America can unleash the brains and brawn we need to resurrect our industrial base, stop World War III, and help our country build—and win.

©2026 Shyam Sankar and Madeline Hart (P)2026 Recorded Books

ideas we need to spread

insight, wisdom and a narrative style makes following the historical account of military procurement easy to follow.

At last!

Hope and path to change and a real chance to win in less time, money and lives.

Phenomenal diagnosis of problems and solutions America needs

Best book of 2026. This give a diagnosis of many issues, historical reasons and context behind many of the problems we are currently experiencing. He also gives a half forward and optimism on where things can be improved.

Great expose on dysfunctional procurement

Overall very happy. I knew military procurement was dysfunctional and this supported that belief with compelling detail. From a constructive criticism standpoint, I thought the call to action aspect was a little weak. That is, a review of how to fix it.

This is the acquisition model our Soldiers need!

Having served in combat, and now currently as a DoW acquisition contractor, I've seen both sides of the failing system that provides too little too late. The only way to advance our war technology is laid out in this book. A must read for all acquisition managers!