R. Allen Pender

The Sojourners: Life on the American Homefront During World War II R. Allen Pender

TheUnited States was just beginning to emerge from the Great Depression of 1930swhen war began to rage in Europe. The United States at this time was not anactive participant in the war. However, the U. S. was shipping war materials toEngland and Russia to aid their effort. The draft to conscript for the servicehad been initiated in order to develop a state of readiness in the event theU. S. would enter the European War. It was against this backdrop that theImperial Japanese Navy, allies of Hitler's Germany, made a surprise attack onthe American Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. This single actmobilized the entire nation to build the military forces that would defeat theenemy in Europe and in the Pacific. Thestory is about that mobilization and it is developed around one eight-year-oldboy and his family as they are forced to move from the rural south into theindustrial northeast. The boy becomes a witness to the history that developsdaily. He, along with the boys from other families also forced to move to theregion, have many adventures as they assimilate into the new community. Duringthis time of shortages and rationing they must improvise in order to try tolead a normal life without the standard accoutrements of their age group. Intheir desire to live and grow they become ensnarled in many situations thatillustrate the temperament and values of the time. Thestory harkens back to a much more innocent and simple time. The historicalcontent is complemented by the humorous activities and behavior of the youngboys and their relationship to the adults of that era.