World War II changed the American South
Write one 1-2 pages describing how World War II changed the American South, be specific and provide sources for your arguments.
Sample Solution
The entry of the United States into World War II caused vast changes in virtually every aspect of American life. Millions of men and women entered military service and saw parts of the world they would likely never have seen otherwise. The labor demands of war industries caused millions more Americans to move–largely to the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts where most defense plants located. When World War II ended, the United States was in better economic condition than any other country in the world. Even the 300,000 combat deaths suffered by Americans paled in comparison to any other major belligerent. Building on the economic base left after the war, American society became more affluent in the postwar years than most Americans could have imagined in their wildest dreams before or during the war. Mobilization for WWII is typically credited as having spurred the industrialization of the American South, where industrial development had previously been stymied.
