SS8H9
World War II in Georgia
Activity 1

Create a Thinking map with World War II
in the middle and the following topics as
“arms” of the thinking map
◦ Events leading to WWII
◦ Lean Lease
◦ Bombing of Pearl Harbor

See the next slide to get you started
You should draw this and before
moving on research the 3 areas. The
next slide has great resources
Why
America
got
involved
WW
II
Pearl
Harbor
LendLease
Events leading to WWII
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When World War II erupted in September 1939,
many Americans saw it as a “European” problem
and
hoped to stay out of the conflict. As Germany
continued to be victorious and take over nation
after
nation, the U.S. continued to watch from the
sidelines. In the Pacific, Japan was taking over large
portions of China and other countries of
southeast Asia, and the U.S. continued to remain
neutral.
http://www.historyonthenet.com/ww2/caus
es.htm
Lend Lease
LEND-LEASE ACT
 The Lend-Lease Act of March 11, 1941, was the principal means for
providing U.S. military aid to foreign nations during World War II. The act
authorized the president to transfer arms or any other defense materials
for which Congress appropriated money to "the government of any
country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the
United States." Britain, the Soviet Union, China, Brazil, and many other
countries received weapons under this law.
 By allowing the president to transfer war material to a beleaguered
Britain—and without payment as required by the Neutrality Act of 1939—
the act enabled the British to keep fighting until events led America into
the conflict. It also skirted the thorny problems of war debts that had
followed World War I.
 Lend-Lease brought the United States one step closer to entry into the
war. Isolationists, such as Republican senator Robert Taft, opposed it. Taft
correctly noted that the bill would "give the President power to carry on a
kind of undeclared war all over the world, in which America would do
everything except actually put soldiers in the front-line trenches where the
fighting is."

Bombing of Pearl Harbor
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One of the most tragic events in America’s history was the Japanese surprise attack on
the Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, over 300 Japanese planes
attacked Pearl Harbor in hopes of crippling the U.S. military to further their plan to take
over more land in the Pacific. attack over 2000 Americans were killed and the U.S. lost
over 150 ships. While the attack accomplished its goal of damaging the U.S. Navy, it also
changed the vast majority of opinion about staying out of the war. On December 8, 1941,
in a moving speech, President Roosevelt called December 7, “a day that will live in infamy”
and asked Congress to declare war on Japan, which it did. A few days later, Germany and
Italy declared war on the U.S., which America did in turn. From December 8, 1941, until
victory in 1945, America fought a two front war against Japan, Germany, and Italy.

For U.S. Navy images of the attack on Pearl Harbor see:

Navy History and Heritage Command: “Pearl Harbor Raid”

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm
Savannah and Brunswick shipyards,
Richard Russell, and Carl Vinson.
Activity 2:
Take Notes on the following pages on your own
paper
Bell Aircraft
Bell Aircraft Company of Buffalo, NY, won a
contract to build the B-29 bomber in a new
plant in Marietta.
 Largest aircraft assembly plant in the world
 Over 4.2 million square feet
 Over 27,000 employees
 Creating 60-65 planes/month
 Between 1943-1945 built 668 planes
 Still open—operated by Lockheed Martin
Corporation

Military Bases

WWII bought millions of dollars to GA

Warner Robins Air Field- Macon
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GA became site of many military
installations due to:

Camp McPherson- Atlanta
◦ Climate
◦ Where newly drafted soldiers were
inducted from all over USA
◦ Senator Richard Russell Jr.
◦ Military hospital
◦ Representative Carl Vinson
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Fort Gillem – Clayton county
Fort Benning – Columbus, GA
◦ Army storage facility
◦ Largest infantry center in country
◦ Railroad yard

Camp Gordon- Augusta


Fort Stewart and Hunter Air Field –
Savannah
Prisoners of War: Ft Benning, Gordon,
Oglethorpe, & Stewart

Fort Oglethorpe
◦ Allowed women to train as postal
workers, clerks, typists, switchboard
operators, code clerks, drivers, aides
Savannah & Brunswick Shipyards
Cities where “Liberty Ships” were built
Named after Patrick Henry’s quote-essential
to war effort
 First: Nov 1942, The USS James Oglethorpe
(sunk by a German sub 1943)
 Savannah: 88 ships built by 15,000 workers
(many women)
 Brunswick: Over 16,000 workers, 99 ships
built
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◦ Set national record by bldg 7 ships in one month
◦ Crews worked Christmas Day, donated
paychecks for the war effort
Richard B Russell- GA’s youngest
governor
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Made needed changes
Combined 102 state officesmade 17 agencies
Tried to run the state like a successful business
Eased some of the pblms brought by the
depression
Became senator (for 38 years)
Favored military programs, funded gov’t programs
Promoted Strong National Defense
Sponsored legislation: provide school lunches for
ALL children
Became third in line for presidency when he
served as president pro tempore for the senate
Carl Vinson
Served 25 consecutive terms as GA
Representative
 Promoted Strong National Defense
 Supported bills to increase our military
(planes, naval ships, etc)
 Known as “father of the two-ocean navy”

c. Explain the impact of the
Holocaust on Georgians.
Impact of the Holocaust on
Georgians
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Review the following information before completing activity 3
http://8thgahistory.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/2/4/10245026/ss8h9c.pdf
http://thebreman.org/Exhibitions/Now-on-View/Absence-of-Humanity-The-HolocaustYears-1933-1945 (Watch the video)
The Holocaust was the systematic mass murder of over 6 million Jews is Europe. The
Nazis used Concentration Camps to imprison, work, and execute Jews, gypsies,
homosexuals, and political dissidents. The Holocaust had an impact on the state. Many
Holocaust survivors moved to Georgia after the war. Their stories about the horrible
events in Europe touched the lives of many Georgians. The Holocaust also made some
Georgians rethink their treatment of minorities in the state. Though it took more than a
decade for the modern civil rights movement to gain momentum in Georgia and the rest
of the South, the horror of what happened in Europe made Georgians “look in the
mirror” and reexamine their racial practices. In addition, former Governor Joe Frank
Harris, established the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust to educate people about
the Holocaust therefore creating an awareness of the events.
The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust: http://www.holocaust.georgia.gov
Activity 3
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The Holocaust had a lasting impact on Georgians and people
throughout the world. Many survivors of the Holocaust immigrated
to Georgia after the war and told stories about the unimaginable
horrors they faced in Europe. Their stories should be documented
and told to future generations to help keep such a tragedy from
happening again. Read one of the accounts of a Holocaust survivor
who moved to the Georgia found on the website “New
Lives: Coming to America”
http://www.thebreman.org/exhibitions/online/newlives/start.php.
Activity 3:
Then write a children’s book (for grades 1-3) about the
person you chose and their life before, during, and after
the holocaust.The book should be at least 3 pages.
d. Discuss President Roosevelt’s
ties to Georgia, including his
visits to Warm Springs and his
impact on the state.
Roosevelt’s Ties to Georgia

Franklin Roosevelt visited Georgia over 40 times from 1913-1945. Primarily he came to Georgia and stayed at his home in Warm
Springs, which became known as the “Little White House” during his presidency. Roosevelt exercised in the warm water pools of the
spring to help ease the crippling effects of polio, a disease he contracted in 1924. Roosevelt used the seclusion of Warm Springs to
take a break for the strain of his four terms in office. While in Georgia, Roosevelt made several appearances and gave many speeches
throughout the state. He was well loved by most Georgians due to his New Deal program which provided aid to many suffering from
the effects of the Depression. He endeared himself to many Georgians when they heard that he became a friend to the locals in the
Warm Spring Area and hosted a Thanksgiving dinner to all of the patients at the spring. Georgians overwhelming supported Roosevelt
in all four of his presidential contests. However, his visits to Georgia were not without controversy. Many in the North, including his
wife Eleanor, did not think Roosevelt did enough to help end segregation and the lack of civil rights in Georgia and the rest of the
South. He also angered many Georgians when he spoke against what he considered to be unfair labor practices in Georgia’s textile
industry, and urged for them to remove conservative Democratic senator Walter F. George from office due to his efforts in blocking
New Deal legislation. The Holocaust had a lasting impact on Georgians and people throughout the world. Many survivors of the
Holocaust immigrated to Georgia after the war and told stories about the unimaginable horrors they faced in Europe. Their stories
should be documented and told to future generations to help keep such a tragedy from happening again. Roosevelt was visiting Warm
Springs on April 12, 1945, where he died after suffering a massive stroke. Most Georgians were extremely saddened about the loss of
their “adopted son.” Today, many people till go to Warm Springs for treatment of strokes and injuries at the Warm Springs
Rehabilitation

Center, and Roosevelt’s home is visited by thousands ever year.
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For more information about Franklin Roosevelt’s ties to Georgia and his impact on the state see:
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The New Georgia Encyclopedia: “Franklin D. Roosevelt in Georgia”
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http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2727&hl=y,
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The New Georgia Encyclopedia: “Warm Springs”
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http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-767&hl=y
Activity 4
Write a letter to Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Walker, Mr.
Godfrey, Mr. Sheppard, or Mrs. Magnacca about
your visit to Warm Springs Georgia. Be sure to
include President Roosevelt’s ties to Georgia, the
reason for visiting the great state and how he
impacted the state.
 I am looking for three to four 5-8 sentence
paragraphs.
 You must have a rough draft and have a friend
read over it before writing a final draft.
 Then you must address the envelope and send
the letter.
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Activity 5
isolationism
Nazis
Lend-Lease
agreement
appeasement
Allied Powers
Axis Powers
Dwight D.
Eisenhower
D-Day
Little White House
Hiroshima and
Nagasaki
Carl Vinson
Richard Russell
Major military bases
in Georgia:
Savannah and
Brunswick shipyards
Bell Bomber Plant
Activity 5

Using the chart write a 1 to 3 sentence
summary over each of the topics.
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This will be your study guide for the test
along with everything else you have
completed. Once you are finished and
ready to take the test see Mrs. Magnacca!

Writing Activity

Please see Mrs. Magnacca to get your
writing activity for this assignment.
Take your test!