GA's Role in WWII

Georgia's Role in WWII

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• I can evaluate the purpose and economic impact of the Bell Bomber Plant, military bases, and the Savannah and Brunswick shipyards.

• I can explain the economic and military contributions of Richard Russell and Carl Vinson.

​Georgia During WWII

• Civilians and military in Georgia were important to the U.S. WWII effort

• Military bases throughout Georgia trained soliders for war

  • more than 300,000 Georgians served in the military

• Because many men were fighting overseas, jobs opened up for women, African Americans & other groups

  • worked in Georgia's industries and Liberty shipyards

• Georgians, along with Americans throughout the U.S., grew victory gardens, collected scrap metal, and purchased war bonds

​Georgia Politicians

• In the 1930s & 1940s, the efforts of two Georgia politicians brought an even greater military presence to Georgia

  • Carl Vinson and Richard B. Russell Jr.

  • both served as politicians in GA for almost 50 years

• Due to their efforts, most major Georgia cities housed a military installation during WWII & 15 new military facilities were built

​Carl Vinson

• When the U.S. took an isolationist stance after WWI & wanted to avoid international conflicts, the U.S. stopped investing in its naval program and it became outdated

• Representative Carl Vinson believed the U.S. needed a powerful navy in order to build a strong national defense system

  • he fought for and passed legislation, known as the Vinson Acts, to fund & grow the U.S. Navy

    • becasue of this, the U.S. Navy was prepared for battle in WWII

• He served in the House of Representatives for 50 years & due to his input on national security matters, he was given the nickname "the admiral"

​Richard B. Russell Jr.

• Richard B. Russell Jr. served as a U.S. Congressman, governor of Georgia & a U.S. Senator

• During WWII, he worked to pass legislation to build more military installations in GA

• He also led five senators to investigate U.S. global military institutions while under combat conditions

  • they traveled into combat zones to meet with commanders, high-ranking civilians, enlisted men & wounded soldiers

  • Russell's report from this was important to the development of post-war policy

Drag and Drop

Carl Vinson and Richard Russell brought a ​

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​ military presence to Georgia and helped the U.S. prepare for war. ​

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helped fund and build the navy. ​

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had military bases built in Georgia. Together, these men brought 15 new military bases to Georgia.

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Carl Vinson

Richard Russell

​Military Bases in Georgia

• Just like in WWI, Georgia's military bases helped to train many American soldiers for war

  • the U.S. Army used more than 660,000 acres of land in GA to train & mobilize soldiers to fight in WWII

​Military Bases in Georgia

1. Fort Benning in Columbus, GA

   1. the largest infantry training institution in the world

2. Robins Field in Macon, GA

   1. maintained U.S. warplanes and trained teams to maintain the planes

3. UGA's naval school, the Pre-Flight School, in Athens, GA

   1. trained about 2,000 combat pilots

4. Fort Stewart in Hinesville, GA - was built during the war

   1. used as an anti-aircraft training camp

5. Hunter's Airfield in Savannah, GA

   1. used as an extension of Fort Stewart & served as a light bomber training base

6. Camp Toccoa in Toccoa, GA

   1. training camp for a new type of soldier - the paratrooper

​Camp Toccoa

• Camp Toccoa in Toccoa, GA (number 6 on map)

  • training camp for a new type of soldier - the paratrooper

  • located at the base of the Currahee Mountain

    • "Currahee" is a Native American name meaning "to stand alone" & this became a motto for the paratroopers-in-training

  • by the end of the war, more than 18,000 paratroopers trained at Camp Tocco

​24th Infantry at Fort Benning

• Fort Benning in Columbus, GA (number 1 on map)

  • the largest infantry training institution in the world

• The 24th Infantry was made up of African Americans

  • at the beginning of WWII, they were stationed in GA at Fort Benning

  • they tested many war tactics to see what could be successfully used during the war

  • after the attack on Pearl Harbor, they were sent to the South Pacific and were the first regiment of African American soliders to fight in WWII

​Prisoner of War Camps in GA

• There was a need for camps to hold Axis prisoners of war (POWs)

  • the U.S. had 155 camps by 1945

• Georgia was considered a good place to hold them becuase were not likely to escape since the Atlantic Ocean separated Europe from the U.S.

  • later in the war Fort Benning, Fort Stewart & Fort Gordon held POWs from Germany, Italy & Austria

  • these POWs were NOT treated horribly

    • they received food, housing, entertainment, education & activities

Multiple Choice

Which does NOT show how Georgia's many military bases helped the war effort during WWII?

• trained soldiers, pilots & paratroopers

• held prisoners of war

• built ships and airplanes

​War Brings Prosperity to GA

• Before WWII, Georgia was a poor state

• When WWII started, things began to change!

  • federal money was poured into military bases and industries supporting the war effort

  • industries paid excellent wages

  • industries employed women, African Americans & unskilled workers

• Georgia grew more industrialized and Georgians began to make more money!

​Bell Bomber Plant

• After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. needed more aircraft

• In 1942, the Roosevelt administration determined Marietta, GA was a prime location

• The Bell Bomber Plant employed more than 28,000 Georgians & built more than 600 B-29 bombers during the war

  • it was the largest manufactoring plant in the Deep South & made a huge impact on GA's economy in the 1940s

​Savannah & Brunswick Shipyards

• During WWII, ships were needed to transport troops and goods across the Atlantic Ocean

• To meet this need, the coastal shipyards of Savannah & Brunswick began producing "Liberty ships"

  • these vessels were designed to be built quickly, easily & inexpensively

  • these shipyards employed over 45,000 workers to build Liberty ships

    • many workers were unskilled, meaning they did not have any previous experience building ships, but learned these valuable skills on the job

  • shipbuilding offered higher wages than many Georgians has ever had before

    • this helped bring wealth to GA & improved the economy of coastal GA

Multiple Choice

Which answer is NOT true of the economic impact that the Bell Bomber Plant, military bases, and shipyards had during WWII?

• they prepared the U.S. for war by supplying the military with weapons and trained soldiers

• they motivated the fight for women’s rights in the workplace

• they provided a large boost to the industry in Georgia

• they provided many people with jobs

Multiple Choice

What is NOT true of Georgia during WWII?

• Georgia provided soldiers

• Georgians built ships and bomber planes

• Georgia had military facilities to train & hold prisoners of war

• Georgia's economy got worse becuase there were no jobs