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The Home Front: Life in America During World War II

By: Audible Originals, Martin Sheen, Dan Gediman
Narrated by: Martin Sheen
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  • Summary

  • Narrated by award-winning actor Martin Sheen, The Home Front: Life in America During World War II takes listeners into the lives of Americans at home who supported the war effort and sustained the country during wartime. The war brought immediate, life-changing shifts; from the rationing of butter, to an explosion of war-related jobs, to mixed-signals about the role of women in society. Feel what living in the United States was like for everyday people during this disruptive and uncertain period of American history in this Audible Original series. Executive producer was Martha Little. Series producer was Dan Gediman.

    When you add The Home Front: Life in America During World War II to your library you will receive all 16 episodes, each with a runtime of approximately 30 minutes.

    ©2017 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2017 Audible Originals, LLC
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Episodes
  • Ep. 1: Prologue: Dear Mr. President (The Home Front)
    Oct 24 2017

    Emmy and Golden Globe winner Martin Sheen takes listeners back to the beginning of America’s involvement in World War II. Hear from ordinary Americans who, thanks to the power of radio, were finally able to voice their hopes and worries to the man in charge: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

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    18 mins
  • Ep. 2: Seeds of War (The Home Front)
    Oct 24 2017

    In this episode, hear why many Americans were reluctant to join the new war raging overseas. Still reeling from the trauma of the World War I, the struggles of the Great Depression, and the growing fear of communism, citizens felt strong isolationist impulses and turned away from growing Nazi aggression.

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    34 mins
  • Ep. 3: Isolationism vs. Interventionism (The Home Front)
    Oct 24 2017

    In 1939, France and the U.K. declared war against Germany, but fear and isolationism kept America from joining the effort. Host Martin Sheen examines the battle that was being waged stateside between the America First movement and interventionists – including FDR’s scheme to supply arms to allies while appearing neutral.

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    29 mins

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What listeners say about The Home Front: Life in America During World War II

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    5 out of 5 stars

Unexpected gem of a book.

Well done and very entertaining. Good look at ww2 life. Sheen always had a voice perfectly suited for audio books.

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Incredible stories, told in first hand accounts

This is one of the best series I've ever listened to. it felt like an amazingly in-depth podcast, with hours of content organized both chronologically and by topic. I was blown away by the honest and complex narratives of what world War II was really like, told by people who lived through the era. It provided so much more context than in typical narratives. it told the story of women, Black individuals, Japanese American and Japanese individuals in the US, Jewish stories, and more. There were first-hand narratives from people who supported the war and first-hand narratives of people who opposed it. Martin Sheen was incredible as the overall narrator as well. I feel incredibly grateful to all the historians who helped put together these recordings that I was fortunate to listen to.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great Listen

If you like World War II History, This is fantastic to listen to, Great Narration

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highly enjoyable

very informative, it helped me visualize a time in our history that I was not alive for. very well done.

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Unvarnished Perspective of PPatriotism & Prejudice

An attempt as an "unvarnished" presentation of the flaws of people, patriotism, prejudice, presidents, politics and prejudice that characterized the US during WWII. I appreciated the educational aspects of this series, and the effort to avoid "romanticizing" the War in any way--but there is a disappointing lack of balance in almost every chapter. There is a clear agenda: to focus mainly on the negative aspects of American life and spotlight the hypocrisy of US society and policy. Much of this is interesting and needs to be told (for those who can handle it). And as Jack Nicholson's military commander character shouted in "A Few Good Men": The TRUTH? You can't handle the truth!"
But truth-telling also requires a balanced effort to describe the powerful reality of the strength of the US populace and how the war ultimately unified a great diverse democracy to rise up and defeat the murderous totalitarian powers in Europe and Asia which posed the gravest, most brutal threat to freedom in the history of the world.

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Excellent Storytelling About Life During WWII

Great job by Martin Sheen. I would have like a more dramatized type reading with sound effects and all that, but this is the next best thing. Very very well done, and Martin Sheen was PERFECT!

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Excellent Overview of the Underbelly of America in WWII

This podcast series uses contemporaneous audio interviews of common people from the WWII era to excellent effect. It shows the dark side of the American war effort, offering a bit of balance to the usual triumphant story of America’s participation in the war.

My only real complaint is that this content focuses a bit too much on the negative side of the war. If you don’t read some other history book before listening to this podcast, you might walk away thinking that race riots, isolationism, and sexism are the only points of interest in the story of the home front. This content really needs to be integrated into the usual story of America in World War II, so that future generations get the whole picture of this horrible but necessary war.

If you like this podcast, I recommend checking out Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Bomber Mafia,” which uses audio recordings of interviews from WWII to similar effect.

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In depth account!!!! Riveting!!!!

Not a better narrator could have been chosen. Highly educational and informational account of American livelihood pre WW II through post WWII. A great Aneican experience that pans out!!!

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Loved this book

Great book, lots of great info I wasn't aware of. It definitely was a plus to hear the actual audio of individuals.

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Excellent

A revealing look at parts of history from the 30s and 40s that didn't make the headlines. And of course, Martin Sheen's voice moving the story along.

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