An analysis of how America overreacted to Pearl Harbor at the outset of World War II by building the Alcan highway and other projects, believing that Alaska would be Japan's next US target. This governmental panic to 'do something' resulted in massive spending on unnecessary actions similar to what happened after 9/11 -- including waste, profiteering, bureaucratic infighting, cover-ups, and an assertion of America's dominating role in the world. But the Alcan Highway let black soldiers achieve greater racial equality and gave Harry S Truman sufficient prominence to lead to his selection as Franklin Roosevelt's running mate in 1944.