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WW2 effects: Arizona

Discussion in 'WWII Today' started by JJWilson, Jul 25, 2018.

  1. JJWilson

    JJWilson Well-Known Member

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    Hello everyone, I am pleased to bring you today my most highly anticipated WW2 effects yet.....my current state of residence, Arizona. I have lived in Arizona for 8 years now, that's the longest I've lived in any state. While I was not born here, I consider it to be my home, (Colorado being a close second) and I have enjoyed living here. I hope you all learn something new about the Grand Canyon state (I sure did!), and of course, enjoy.

    Arizona Pre-WW2
    Arizona before the 20th century was truly the "wild west". The Apache Indians led by Geronimo fought American and Mexican settlers, along with U.S Troops. There was the shootout at the O.K corral in Tombstone, land disputes between cattle ranchers, often ended in bloodshed. Despite the Arizona territories turbulent beginnings, it would achieve statehood On February 14th 1912, the 48th state admitted to the Union. Arizona's main economic outlets were (and some still are), the 5 C's; Copper, Cattle, Citrus, Cotton, and Climate. Arizona was, and still is the nations largest Copper producer, with about 57 Copper mines across the state in 1940. Cattle farming and ranching was also a massive economic help to the state. Arizona is all a perfect place to grow Citrus, and Cotton, two big agricultural exports. Lastly, there is the Climate, which during the Spring and Summer is awful, but in the Winter and Fall, it's beautiful. In the 1920's, Arizona was thriving. The state's half a million residents were making serious money after WW1, and it seemed like things were looking up for the 48th state. However, when the Great Depression hit in 1929, all progress in just about every sector, was lost. The demand for Copper, Citrus, and Cotton, plummeted, and a massive drought hit the state from 1933 to 1935, killing Thousands of livestock, and destroying crops. Unfortunately, Arizona was massively under-developed, with little industry at all, and very few economic alternatives outside of mining and agriculture. Many farmers and rancher lost their land, and with them, their workers became unemployed. Thousands moved away from the state, going to places like Las Vegas and California, looking for better opportunities. South of the border in Mexico, Thousands of Mexican immigrants illegally crossed the border into the U.S looking for work, and a better life, this trend would continue through the Depression, and continues to this day. Many Ghost towns arose across the state due to people leaving, but in 1940, the amount of people leaving dropped drastically. This was a result of the U.S Government hiring thousands to build roads, telephone poles, and military installations. "The state's warm weather, clear skies, large amounts of unoccupied land, good railroads, cheap labor, low taxes, and its proximity to California, made it attractive to both the military and private manufacturers" (AZ Historical society). Then there was the construction of the what was the world's largest concrete dam, the Hoover dam in 1936.16 Army airfields, and 4 Army installations were built and modified across the state, Airbases such as Davis-Monthan, Luke AFB, Falcon Field, Marana Field, Thunderbird Field, and Williams field (10 minutes away from where I live). Arizona was readying for yet another war. During the Great Depression, and building up to war, Arizona was in the midst of multiple Civil Rights movements, from Native American tribes, to Mexican immigrants. These groups complained (rightfully so), to unfair treatment and discrimination from the people and the government. These issues would become more heated and prevalent when war finally did breakout....

    Arizona WW2
    The war for Arizona began at Pearl Harbor, far away, and yet it was a personal attack, the USS Arizona was destroyed at the Harbor. This fact was never forgotten by the people of Arizona, and it fueled hatred and discontent for the Axis powers. Sadly this hatred and fear of the Japanese-American's, would make Arizona the largest holder of Japanese-American internees during the war. After FDR's Executive Order 9102, the Government built "relocation centers" In Poston, and Gila river Arizona, the largest of any internment camps during the war, holding 31,000 people combined. Despite the horrific treatment from their democratic government, the Japanese-Americans remained loyal, and patriotic, helping to create camo nets and targets for training exercises, while also working in cotton and citrus fields. The camps resident's dealt with 100+ degree weather, along with rattlesnakes and scorpions. At the Gila River center, 713 Internees would fight in the war, 487 of them were volunteers, 33 of them were KIA. Arizona also housed the highest number of POW's during the war, about 18,000 in all. The biggest of these camps, was Camp Florence (Which is still a Prison) with 13,000 POW's. This was one of the few camps in the U.S that held Japanese prisoners, about 500 of them. There was also a much smaller POW camp only 15 minutes away from where I live at Falcon field, which held 1000 Italian and German prisoners, who helped the locals pick oranges and lemons side by side (I knew one of those POW's who passed away in 2009, he came back to live in Arizona after the war). There was also Camp Papago, where the biggest escape of POW's on American soil took place. It happened on December 23rd 1944, 25 prisoners escaped in the night via an underground tunnel, all 25 would be recaptured. Arizona's airbases would train Thousands of airmen throughout the course of the war, some even from outside the U.S. At Falcon Field, Hundreds of Canadians and British pilots trained to fly, most would eventually go on to fly Mosquitoes and Beaufighters. At Luke AFB, American Airmen were trained to become fighter pilots, this was a dangerous work, and sadly many pilots were killed in accidents. At Davis-Monthan AFB, B-24 and B-17 pilots were trained, and in one incident, during a routine training exercise over the Grand Canyon, a B-24 crashed near Flagstaff, and some of the crew bailed out over the Grand Canyon, waiting 10 days for rescue. At Williams field, American airmen were trained to fly bombers. Industry in Arizona never really took off, but the state made up for it in Cotton, Copper, and trained men. Arizona was responsible for supplying half of the Allies Copper during the war, and a good majority of the Cotton as well. The only real industry Arizona had was based in Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, where B-17 parts were made. One negative event that occurred in the state during the war, was the Phoenix Massacre, a clash between colored troops and White MP's (I'll put down a link for more details). During the war, 52,000 Arizonan's were drafted or joined the military, 21,000 of whom were Native Americans or Hispanics. Percentage wise, Arizona was one of the most diverse states in the army, with almost half of the servicemen not being Caucasian. Arizona was also home to the largest amount of Navajo Code talkers and other Native American tribe communications officers. By war's end, 1,613 Arizonan's had lost their lives serving their country.

    Arizona Post WW2
    When the war came to an end, the Civil Rights issues continued. It would not be until the 60's that both Hispanics and Native Americans were given fair treatment by the government. WW2 truly transformed the state. Arizona is second only to California in Post WW2 economic and population growth in the U.S. The state's population has gone from 500,000 people, to 7,000,000. The economy has grown rapidly, and while maintaining the 5 C's, has also expanded to newer Technology and a broader field of work. Many of the Military installations built during the war remain a part of the military, while others have become Civilian operated. The immigration issue is the state's largest problem, along with constant droughts (we handle things better than California though), but for the most part, Arizona continues to progress and grow at unprecedented rates. I would not be hugely surprised if I spend the rest of my life here......
     
  2. JJWilson

    JJWilson Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]
    Geronimo and his Apache tribe caused lots of Unrest in the Arizona territory, and they've become legendary figures..
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    Arizona's 5 C's....Cattle, Citrus, Climate, Copper, and Cotton
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    Two Hispanic boys sit outside of their home during the Great Depression in Pinal county....
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    The Hoover dam, 1936
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    Phoenix, 1940
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    Elanor Roosevelt visiting the Gila River Relocation Center, 1943
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    Papago POW camp, with picture of tunnel used in escape
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    Falcon Field Airport, 1943
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    T-6's flying out of Williams Field, 1944
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    The Aircraft Graveyard in Kingman AZ......so sad seeing all of those B-17's go to waste.....
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    Falcon Field today
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    Williams today, with some lovely Warbirds of the Collings Foundation......
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    Phoenix AZ today
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    My hometown of Gilbert
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    Havasupai Falls in the Grand Canyon
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    Grand Canyon
    Arizona during World War II - Wikipedia
    Arizona Historical Society | Saving Arizona's History Since 1864
    Great Papago Escape - Wikipedia
    Camp Van Dorn Slaughter - Wikipedia
    The Grand Canyon: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture
     
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  3. CAC

    CAC Ace of Spades

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    Do the Native Americans still hold any land?
     
  4. ColHessler

    ColHessler Member

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    They have their reservations.
     
  5. CAC

    CAC Ace of Spades

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    Is that their old lands or something "set aside" for them?

    My Aboriginal brothers and sisters have been here minimum 40 thousand years...so its a no brainer here. It may be different in the states or other places in the world.
     
  6. ColHessler

    ColHessler Member

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    Here in Arizona it's their lands.
     
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  7. JJWilson

    JJWilson Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the likes CAC and Hessler, is there anything you'd like to add Hessler? You've lived here longer than me haven't you?
     
  8. ColHessler

    ColHessler Member

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    My neighbor across the street lent me a book called Arizona's War Town a few years ago, and it tells about Flagstaff's contributions to the war effort. They talk about an ammo depot with a mostly black staff, the Navy officer training at what is now Northern Arizona University, and my favorite part, the Austrian POW camp nearby.
    It is worth a look, and it's on Amazon.
    No, I didn't write it.
     
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  9. ColHessler

    ColHessler Member

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    Also when I was in high school, it was the 40th anniversary of the Papago Great Escape. Our teacher, Mr. Hathaway, gave us copies of the newspaper articles of the time from the Arizona Republic talking about the breakout, and the buildings themselves were, at the time of my teens, used for a roadside inn on Scottsdale Road just south of Thomas Road. They're back in the park where they belong and the lot is vacant.
     
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  10. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    When I saw the subject line I thought "Nothing after a few minutes".

    I have Pearl Harbor on the brain.
     
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  11. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    Well some of her guns were installed as coastal artillery.
     
  12. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Yep, and they're bringing the superstructure that was removed back to Stateside as well.
     
  13. ColHessler

    ColHessler Member

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    Plus we have one of the anchors near the state capitol building.
     
  14. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    The Apache were raiding on our side of the border in Arizona as late as the 1920s. They'd attack an isolated ranch to steal the horses and cattle, then drive them across into Mexico. The last American casualties (that I know of) were a couple of cowboys ambushed and killed in 1927 for the herd they were driving, a dozen or so miles south of where my little ranch is. On the Mexican side I was surprised to learn that the Rurales were fighting the Apache in the Sierra Madre right into the 1940s. So, while WWII raged across both oceans, Mexican cavalry units were still fighting the Indian Wars.

    .
     
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  15. JJWilson

    JJWilson Well-Known Member

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    I did not know that Kodiak. I'm rather surprised how long conflict lasted between the Apaches and settlers, It's almost 100 years of fighting!!
     
  16. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    It must be a lot more than that. They were fighting the Spanish for 150 years before we took possession.

    .
     
  17. JJWilson

    JJWilson Well-Known Member

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    That's very true, I forgot about the Spanish settlers of the 1500's...........so it's more like 400 years!!!
     
  18. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    I heard somewhere that "Apache" in one of the other Indian languages translates to "enemy". Don't forget the Indians were fighting each other long before the Europeans showed up as the name of one of our other states attests too.
     
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