Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
At the beginning of America's involvement in World War II, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) called on the country to become "an arsenal of democracy" – to become producers of war materiel to help defeat the Axis powers – Germany, Japan and Italy. This is the story of how Chicago answered FDR's call. This documentary reveals how the Chicago area was transformed into a well-oiled production machine, with every man, woman, and child contributing to the war effort. Through personal reminiscences, declassified films, period stills and posters, A CITY AT WAR: CHICAGO explores how a mutually beneficial relationship between FDR and Chicago’s powerful Democratic Mayor Ed Kelly helped to win the war.
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This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
At the beginning of America's involvement in World War II, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) called on the country to become "an arsenal of democracy" – to become producers of war materiel to help defeat the Axis powers – Germany, Japan and Italy. This is the story of how Chicago answered FDR's call. This documentary reveals how the Chicago area was transformed into a well-oiled production machine, with every man, woman, and child contributing to the war effort. Through personal reminiscences, declassified films, period stills and posters, A CITY AT WAR: CHICAGO explores how a mutually beneficial relationship between FDR and Chicago’s powerful Democratic Mayor Ed Kelly helped to win the war.
You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.
Get an exclusive release every week by signing up here: bit.ly/4pyExyn
This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
