The U.S. emerged from the war as the world's dominant producer of goods and services.

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Harry Truman, "the Commission on Wartime Contracting's reason for existence is to ensure that the government pays fair and reasonable prices for the goods and services that it buys to support our war fighters, " Thibault said.

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During the War, as productive output was diverted to the front, consumer goods were rationed back home and living standards fell.

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