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SS8H9 The student will describe the impact of World
War II on Georgia’s development economically, socially,
and politically.
a. Describe the impact of events leading up to American
involvement in World War II; include Lend-Lease and the
bombing of Pearl Harbor.
b. Evaluate the importance of Bell Aircraft, military bases,
the Savannah and Brunswick shipyards, Richard Russell, and
Carl Vinson.
c. Explain the impact of the Holocaust on Georgians.
d. Discuss President Roosevelt’s ties to Georgia including his
visits to Warm Springs and his impact on the state.
 Roosevelt watched Germany, Italy, and the Soviet
Union carve up the world as Americans were
determined not to get involved.
 F.D.R. was convinced that only Great Britain could
keep Hitler from crossing the Atlantic.
 Neutrality Acts prohibited F.D.R. from selling weapons
to any warring nation. In 1939 Roosevelt did get a new
law that allowed him to sell arms to the allied nations
if they paid cash and transported them in their own
ships.
 Once Great Britain ran out of cash, and Germany
turned on Russia, Congress approved the lending or
leasing of weapons to aid in the fight against Germany.
 As Japan continued expanding in the South Pacific,
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the United States cut off all weapons and aircraft sales,
as well as froze all Japanese assets in the U.S.
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Hawaii on Dec 7th
1941 in a surprise Sunday morning attack.
8 battleships were destroyed or severely damaged,
more than 180 planes were destroyed.
That evening F.D.R. declared 12/7/1941 as a “day that
will live in infamy!”
The United States declared war on Japan on 12/8/1941
 The U.S. needed additional plants to build the B-29
bomber, Bell Aircraft won a contract to build them in
Marietta Ga. Once completed, it was the largest
aircraft assembly facility in the world.
 Began production in the spring of 1943 with 1,200
employees, by the spring of 1945, 27,000 employees.
 The plant closed at the end of 1945. Lockheed Martin
now operates at this location. (since 1950)
 WWII brought prosperity to Georgia, influential
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Congressmen such as Senator Richard B. Russell Jr. and
Representative Carl Vinson helped the state become the
site of several military institutions.
Major bases included Fort Benning (Columbus), Camp
Gordon (Augusta), Fort Stewart and Hunter Air Field
(Savannah), and Robbins Air Field near Macon.
Fort McPherson - major induction center for the Army.
Fort Gillem - transportation and storage facility.
Marietta Army Airfield became Dobbins Air Reserve Base
 Both facilities produced “Liberty Ships”, named for
Patrick Henry’s famous quotation.
 The first was the James Oglethorpe, which was sunk by
a German submarine the next year.
 88 ships were built in Savannah alone, many of the
workers were women. 99 ships were built in
Brunswick.
 Workers worked 365 days a year during the war, even
Christmas Day.
 Became Georgia’s youngest Governor in 1931, sworn in
by his father, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice
Richard Russell Sr.
 Founded the Board of Regents, consolidated 102 state
offices into 17 agencies, and tried to run the state like a
successful business.
 Was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1932, and served
there for the next 38 years. Was a trusted advisor to 6
Presidents, and was third in line for the Presidency
when he served as President Pro Tempore of the
Senate.
 Served 25 consecutive terms in the U.S. House of
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Representatives from 1914-1965.
Set a record for longevity in the House.
Was a leader of several military committees, and
brought much military investment to Georgia.
Pushed for strong defenses even after WWII.
Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964
Had a nuclear aircraft carrier (The country’s third)
named for him in 1972
 The systematic killing of Jews and other "undesirables”
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by the Nazi’s in Germany during WWII.
Even women and children were killed.
Those killed were called “inferior people” by Hitler
1986 – Georgia Commission on the Holocaust was
established to take lessons from the Holocaust to
promote good citizenship and lead new generations of
Georgians beyond racism.
Some concentration camps were Auschwitz, Dachau,
and Treblinka.
“Work Makes One Free”