On Preparedness.

• Author: Magnuson, Stew

Prior to becoming a mostly journalism-driven publication, National Defense and its predecessors, largely comprised of contributors.

The editors of the magazine asked experts, often military officers, to pen articles on subjects of interest to readers. There were articles technical in nature, opinions on readiness--or the lack thereof--or ones that featured new technology. Photo spreads of tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground that displayed new weapons and platforms were common, along with news about the association and its chapters.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Douglas MacArthur, for example, was a frequent contributor throughout the 1930s. When he found himself fighting for his life during the Battle of Bataan in the Philippines, Army Ordnance Editor Leo A. Codd in the March-April 1942 issue wrote: "This man...