Final answer:
It is false that Ford Motor Company easily switched from producing Model T cars to Eagle boats during World War One. The transition required significant changes to accommodate the complexity of military production, including adapting assembly lines, sourcing materials, and employing skilled labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that it was quite easy for Ford Motor Company to switch from producing Model T's to Eagle boats during World War One is false. Transitioning from the mass production of civilian automobiles to the specialized production required for wartime military equipment was a significant challenge. The Model T Ford was produced on an assembly line designed for high-volume, low-cost manufacturing which relied on standardization and involved unskilled workers performing repetitive tasks. This system was not immediately compatible with the production of more complex items like Eagle boats, which required skilled trades.
Ford's assembly line system represented a groundbreaking approach to manufacturing that dramatically increased efficiency and volume. This system was geared towards producing a large number of nearly identical vehicles, a stark contrast to the more varied and technically complex demands of war material production. During World War I, the war effort necessitated conversions of factories and a shift from consumer goods to military equipment, which involved a range of challenges from sourcing specialized materials to hiring and training skilled workers capable of handling more complex manufacturing processes.
Thus, it involved critical steps to transition smoothly, and American industries, including Ford, had to adapt their facilities and workforce to meet these demands. Moreover, government agencies such as the War Production Board played crucial roles in managing this transition to ensure that American factories could meet the requirements of war production efficiently.