Texans World War II Experience in regards to the state's manpower contribution

The infusion of American material and manpower give the enemies of Hitler and Mussolini vast new resources and a large morale booster. 7% of Texans served in the armed forces during the war (approx. 750,000).  By the end of the war 22,022 Texans dies in combat.

During WW II what was Texas' role in military training facilities?

Texas became America's largest military training ground.  Vast terrain, relatively favorable year-round weather, and effective congressional delegation contributed to themilitary decision to place a large # of training camps in Texas.

15 camps were located in Texas during the war. 20 army combat divisions totaling 1.2 million men were trained in Texas.  Over 200,000 army and navy pilots, bombardiers, navigators, gunners, and aerial photographers trained at 40 Texas military airfields, including the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi.

What was the war's economic impact on everyday citizens?

Prisioner of War Camps in Texas during WWII

During the war Texas hosted twice as many prisoner of war camps than any other state.  Partly because of the large amount of available land, but a Geneva Convention requirement stating that nations must hold prisoners of war in a climate similar to the place of capture provided another reason. 

7 Camps were set up especially for POW's there were also enemy prisoners at 14 army posts scattered across the state.

How did the war transform the Texas economy?

The war stimulated the economy.  Value of Texas manufactured goods quadrupled during the war.  New job opportunities created an influx of half a million intrastate rural migrants coupled with the arrival of over 400,000 out of state workers.  Aircraft plants provided considerable employment.  Shipbuilding also emerged and contributed to wartime efforts.  Petrochemical plants also opened up across the state.  Synthetic rubber industry - produced half the nations synthetic rubber.  East Texas paper and wood pulp industry, new steel mills, munitions plants and the only tin smelter in the Western Hemisphere.  Working shortages created jobs for women.  Women entered industries such as ship welding, aircraft assembly, manufacturing radio equipment.  Long hours, high wages, challenging work was hard because they still had duties at home. 

Wartime labor also benefited the Texans and Tejanos.

How did WW II effect agriculture in Texas?

Big inch and Little ince pipelines

During the war Secretary Ickes lobbied strongly for the construction of pipelines to carry petroleum to the northeastern states.  In 1942 the Govt. began building the lst condiut, measuring 24 incues in diameter and nicknamed the "Big Inch" to transport crude oil.  Completed in August 1943 the line carried Texas oil as far east as Philadelphia.

Workers began working on another twenty inch diameter pipeline called "Little Big Inch" began construction in 1943 and completed their task by 1944.  This line transported refined oil from Houston and Port Arthur to Linden, NEw Jersey.  By the end of the war both pipelines carried over 350 million barrels of petroleum to the East Coast.

Who was Governor Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel and how did he use anto-labor sentiments to further his career during the 1940 gubernatorial election?

Discuss O'Daniels elevation to the US Senate in the 1941 and 1942 elections

The governor decided to leave office in 1941 when Texas Senator Morris Sheppard died leaving the senate seat vacant.  O'Daniel chose Andrew Jackson Houston 87, as an interim replacement while he prepared his bid for the seat.  Houston died less than 3 weeks later.  In the special election to decide who would fill the vacant seat, LBJ gave the governor a tight run.  Johnson lost by only 1,300 votes. 

When he decided to run for reelection he received opposition from ex-governors Moody and Allred.  Ther was a runoff between Moody and O'Brien.  To appease voters who still admired Roosevelt, O'Daniel publically praised the president, though many knew he disliked FDR and his policies.  He continued to deliver baseless accusation that communistic labor leader racketeers were active in Texas supporting the candidates of politicians such as Allred thru a massive slush fund.  O'Daniel received substantial rural support and eked out a victory.  For the 4th consecutive election, the flour salesman turned politican emerged victorious by virtue of his false image as a humble and sincere bumpkin, coupled with his use of finely crafted anti-establishment rhetoric.

Governor Coke Stevenson - His conservative political actions

Stevenson hel strong anti-central planning beliefs that led him to oppose most of the New Deal in addition to opposing the wartime national speed limit and gasoline rationing.  Great popularity in Texas winning both 1942 and 1944 elections.  The return of economic prosperity proved to be the major factor driving his popular suport.  Beginning his governorship with 34 million debt and ending with a 35 million surplus.  Increased wartime business activities largely explains the reversal.  Stevenson contributed by refusing to raise taxes and supporting deep funding cuts for state government services.  Supported increased funding for the states highway system, a building for UT and elevated teachers' salaries.  Greatly reduced appropriations for most colleges and government agencies.

The governor also endorsed a state constitutional amendment passed by voters requireing a balanced state government budget. 

Governor Stevenson and his action with respect to organized labor and race relations.

The govenor had mixed record with organized labor.  Though he negotiated a no-strike agreement with unions for the war's duration, Stevenson bowed to political pressure that followed and allowed the Manford Act to become law without his signature.  The legislation placed many burdens on unions.  Labor organizers had to register with the sate and carry ID Cards; Unions had to file comprehensive annual reports containing financial and organizational records with the state; and unions could no longer contribute to policital campaigns.

On racial matters Stevenson's views mirrored the feelings of a majority of Anglo Texans.  He occasionally supported overtures against Mexican American discrimination, such as approving the legislature, "Caucasian Race Resolution" which proclaimed that "all persons of the caucasian Race were entitled to equal access to all public places of business and amusement, plus the establishment of a "Good Neighbor Commission" designed to combate discrimination.  The motivation begind these gestures lay more in trying to convenience the Mexican government to send braceros to Texas  than a genuine concern to combat injustice. The govenor showed even less concern in regards to blacks.  Stevenson displayed little concern when Beaumon erupted in racial violence. 

Race riots in Beaumont and Texarkana

Texarkana - A Texarkana mob kidnapped Willie Vinson from his hospital bed, dragged him by automobile, and lynched him for allegedly assulting a white woman.

Beaumont - Since 1940 the city had experienced rapid unplanned growth as it filled whith white and black workers arriving to labor in the city's shipyards and refineries.  Housing and transportation shortages contributed to a situation that challenged the ability of local authorities to maintain segregated facitlities.  Incidents of racial discord culminated with an allegation by a white woman (later proved to be false) that she had been raped by a black man.  Upon hearing the news 2 thousand white shipyard workers walked off the job, entered the black neighborhoods, and began randomly assulting its residents.  3 African Americans dies and more than 50 were injured.

Smith vs. Allwright (1944)

Important decision of the US Supreme Court with regard to voting rights and by extension racial desegregation.  It overturned the Democratic Party's use of all-white primaries in Texas and other states where the party used the rule.

Rebellion staged the the "Texas Regulars" in an effort to deny Roosevelt the 1944 reelection.

How did WW II change Texas and to what degree has Texas changed?