About World War II Civilian Defense

There does not appear to be a dedicated website for the United States' civilian defense program during World War II available online. This website was established to fill that gap.

The years spanning from 1941 to 1945 represent a fascinating chapter in the history of the home front in the United States. While the government had begun efforts to enhance civil defense awareness from mid-1941, it was only after the nation entered the war following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 that a significant emphasis on civil defense was launched.

The government had considerable ground to cover, and millions of citizens volunteered their time to assist with civil defense in their neighbourhood and local community.

I started the website in August 2025, and I am eager to connect with anyone who has an interest in this era and civil defense in the United States. I’m looking to build the website into a primary resource and am particularly keen to connect with people willing to share information and photographs of original World War II civil defense items from their collections.

No doubt I’ll make a few mistakes along the way (the odd Cold War item may creep in…) and if you do spot something amiss, please let me know.

Craig Smith