We never approached WWII level of mobilization. But national mobilization can happen at a fraction of WWII level.
starting with Korean War, we were at a much higher level of mobilization than any other peacetime before WWII, even when we were not actually fighting in Korea or Vietnam. Our forces levels anytime during and after Korean War can be considered mobilization force levels by PRE-WWII lstandards.
Prior to 1960, we relied on nuclear retaliation as main tool of war fighting. Tactical conventional forces, which in any military mobilization consumes lion's share of resource and manpower, were put on the back burner.
After 1960, we switched posture to flexible response, which in effect was an effort to match the Soviet Union in tactical conventional forces, really puts us on something like serious national mobilization by pre-WWII standards.
starting with Korean War, we were at a much higher level of mobilization than any other peacetime before WWII, even when we were not actually fighting in Korea or Vietnam. Our forces levels anytime during and after Korean War can be considered mobilization force levels by PRE-WWII lstandards.
Prior to 1960, we relied on nuclear retaliation as main tool of war fighting. Tactical conventional forces, which in any military mobilization consumes lion's share of resource and manpower, were put on the back burner.
After 1960, we switched posture to flexible response, which in effect was an effort to match the Soviet Union in tactical conventional forces, really puts us on something like serious national mobilization by pre-WWII standards.
