Louisiana:
The History of an American
State
Chapter 14
Louisiana’s World War II Era:
Patriotism and Prosperity
Study Presentation
©2005 Clairmont Press
Chapter 14
Louisiana’s World War II Era:
Patriotism and Prosperity
Section 1: Louisiana in World War II
Section 2: Louisiana’s Governors
Section 3: Postwar Changes
Section 1:
Louisiana in World War II
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
– How did World War II affect the
lives of Louisianans?
Section 1:
Louisiana in World War II
What words do I need to know?
1. sabotage
2. blackout
3. ration
4. victory garden
5. United Service Organization
World War II
• In 1930s, Germany was led by Adolf Hitler
• Germany wanted to expand their control of
Europe
• Japan was expanding its control of Asia
• President Roosevelt planned for the USA to be
neutral
• The president looked for ways to help France,
Great Britain, and their allies
• Supplying the allies helped get the US out the
Great Depression
• Sept. 1940: US begins first peacetime draft to
prepare for possible war
The Maneuvers
• August 1941: Louisiana was site of war
games or “mock wars” to prepare troops for
possible war
• Winn Parish and Rapides Parish saw the
arrival of thousands of soldiers
• General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General
George Patton directed the operations
• Bossier Parish became important training site
– now the home of the US 8th Air Force
Reaction to Pearl Harbor
• December 7, 1941: Japan attacked US Navy at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii
• December 8, 1941: US declared war on Japan
• Extra guards were set up to guard against sabotage
(deliberate damage or destruction)
• blackouts: turning off all lighting to deter nighttime air
attacks
• Civil defense organizations used regular citizens to help
guard Louisiana from attack
• General Claire Lee Chennault: Louisiana’s first famous war
hero
• Led “Flying Tigers” in air battles with the Japanese
• By end of war, nearly 275,000 Louisianans had served in
the military – over 4,000 were killed
The Home Front
• Victory gardens (small family gardens) were
planted to increase the food supply
• Children helped in the war effort by distributing
information flyers, collecting scrap metal, rubber,
and paper
• Citizens were star pins or displayed them in
windows along with US flags
• United Service Organization (USO): provided
entertainment and assistance to soldiers
• German prisoners of war (POWs) were held in
Louisiana parishes including West Baton Rouge,
Lincoln, and Rapides
The End of the War
• 1945: war in Europe ended (V-E Day)
• Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (G.I.
Bill): federal program to help soldiers
get more education and continue life
after the military
• Mardi Gras and other celebrations
were started again after the war’s end
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Section 2: Louisiana’s
Governors
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
– How did Louisiana’s governors
lead the state after World War II?
Section 2: Louisiana’s
Governors
What words do I need to know?
1. civil service program
Louisiana’s Governors
• After Huey Long’s death, state was divided
into supporters and opponents
• Many believed that Long and his supporters
were corrupt
• The “anti-Longs” won the 1940 election
when Sam Jones was elected governor
• The “pro-Longs” did not regain power until
the 1948 election
Sam Jones
• Voters liked Jones because he was not part of the old
political crowd
• War veteran
• Promised to bring honesty to state government
• Government employees did not have to contribute
money to the governor’s campaign fund
• Voter lists were published to remove the names of dead
citizens
• Companies doing business with the state had to bid for
the contracts to make sure the state got the best price
• Civil service system set up to protect state workers from
governor’s power
• Like Long, Jones increased spending on pensions,
education, roads, bridges, and hospitals
Jimmie Davis
• Born the son of a poor sharecropper
• Paid for his own education and began
public service in the Public Service
Commission
• Sang country music and played guitar
• Added retirement system for state workers
• Directed more money to state education
system
• Left office with the state budget having
extra money (surplus)
Earl Long
• Similar political views to his brother, Huey –
believed the fortunate should help the less
fortunate; the rich should help the poor
• Gave away hams and bacon before speeches to
draw a crowd
• Increased spending on health, welfare, education,
and highways
• Pay for African American teachers increased
• Increased sales, gas, and severance taxes to pay
for social programs
• Abolished the civil service system so that he could
put his supporters in office
Robert Kennon
• Wanted to reform state government and
make it more efficient
• Voting machines added to reduce fraud
• Worked to eliminate illegal gambling
• Made it harder to increase taxes – required
2/3 vote of legislature
• Prisons were improved and prison workers
salaries increased
• Gave control of city government of New
Orleans to its citizens
The Return of Earl Long
• In 1956, Earl Long was re-elected
• Long had encouraged blacks to register to vote
• Long had helped to get many social programs for
blacks, and he wanted their votes
• Segregationists (people who wanted to keep
whites and blacks separate) worked to get blacks
taken off the voting lists
• Experienced health problems and died of heart
attack just after being elected to the US House of
Representatives in 1960
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Section 3: Postwar
Changes
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
– What changes in the economy of
Louisiana followed World War II?
Section 3: Postwar
Changes
What words do I need to know?
1. right-to-work law
2. Cold War
The Economy
• 1940s and 1950s Louisiana moved from
agricultural to industrial state
• Many blacks in Louisiana moved north for better
jobs and less discrimination
• Oil industry expanded with offshore oil rigs in the
Gulf of Mexico
• Labor unions grew in strength, but some believed
that their power discouraged new businesses from
moving to the state
• A right-to-work law was passed in 1954 which
allowed workers to choose whether to join a union
or not
Cultural Changes
• WDSU and WAFB were Louisiana’s first television
stations in late 1940s
• By 1950s, many homes had televisions
• Rock and roll music began in 1950s, shocking
many older Louisianans
• Louisiana’s jazz and blues had helped to
encourage rock and roll
• Elvis Presley sang in Louisiana on several
occasions and was very popular with teens
The Cold War
• Soviet Union and USA began war of diplomacy
and words (Cold War)
• The spread of communism was a great fear of
Americans
• Korean War broke out as US backed South Korea
against the communist North Korea – war ended
in 1953
• Soviet Union and USA also were in an arms race
to build stronger nuclear weapons
• Some Louisianans practiced moving to bomb
shelters, but most people thought there was no
use to prepare against a nuclear attack
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