Detroit Stopped Making Cars

On February 10, 1942, the last civilian car rolled off an American assembly line. Every major automaker switched to military production. Ford built B-24 bombers at its vast Willow Run plant. General Motors made engines, and Chrysler built tanks.

Consumer goods vanished for three full years. Americans accepted rationing of meat, sugar, gasoline, and rubber. New cars, refrigerators, and even bicycles simply disappeared from store shelves until the fighting was over.