World War II

World War II was one of the most destructive war of all time. It broke nations apart, ruined population, ethic groups, and economies, and brought an era know as the Cold War. From 1941 to 1945, Texans rallied manpower and equipment and supported the wartime effort. On December 7, 1941, Japanese attacked a ship at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Soon, America was fighting against Germany, Japan, and Italy. When the war came to an end in 1945, the world and Texas had changed forever. Texas shifted from a rural state to an urban state. Women also entered the workplace. Surprisingly, Texas, perhaps more than any state, played a big role in gaining victory.

Texas Before World War II

In 1940, Texas was far different than it is today. Frontier and rural life remained alive. Most Texans lived in small towns or farms and ranches. Only 1 in 5 people owned an automobile, 1 in 10 had a working telephone, and 1 in 6 had a radio. Television, fast food, and interstates were years ahead. Like other states, Texas found it hard to recover from the Great Depression in 1929 to 1930. Discovery of oil fields brought hope, but agriculture lagged behind.

Texas' Military Effort

When the US entered into war, Texas was one of the first states to answer the call for support. Texas sent 750,000 men in all into the army's effort. Dude to the expansive land, the military could build many air strips, and bases. Many of these were located along the gulf coast and north Texas.During the war, 33 Texans earned a Medal of Honor. Unfortunately, 22,000 Texans died in the Cold War.

During the war, Texas was a big supplier of oil, bringing in about 90%. The Germans were hot on the Texas' fleets, so they could not transport oil to and fro. Pipelines were created and would generate roughly 350 million barrels of crude oil and other products to the east coast in support for the war. With Texas being the major supplier of oil, Texas surely helped the victory of the World War II.

Hopefully this hub taught you a little bit about Texas' role in WWII. Thanks!

--John

http://johnburgdorf.webs.com/