Georgia’s Role in World War I

• I can give reasons for World War I and describe Georgia’s contributions.

Learning Targets

Georgians & the War• Initially, Georgians were less than enthusiastic

about the prospect of America entering World War I.

Economy was suffering... Cotton, Timber, Tobacco...Not Reaching European Market

America Declares War• However, Georgia’s attitude quickly changed when

America declared war on April 6, 1917.• Georgia played a crucial and patriotic role in

America’s war effort.

SoldiersOf the 4,000,000 Americans who served in WWI, some 100,000 were from Georgia.(Georgia ranked 4th in the nation for the number of men who had signed up for Army duty.)

Nathaniel E. HarrisConfederate Veteran Georgia’s Governor1st Governor to Experience a World War

Called on all Georgians to remain, “staunch and faithful,” through the crisis.

Georgia’s Military Bases• Before the war, Georgia already

housed five large federal military installations.• These bases became vital to the United

State’s war effort.• By the end of the war, Georgia had

more military training camps than any other state in the country.

Fort McPhersonCreated in 1889 Center for Training Recruits and DrafteesHoused German Prisoners of War. Hospital for the Wounded

Camp GordonOver 230,000 American soldiers were trained here.

Taking a break from their training exercises at Camp Gordon doughboys (infantrymen) pick a row

of cotton in 1917.

This division, the Eighty-Second All-American Division, was staffed mainly by Native Georgians.

LargestAugusta, Georgia

Camp Benning Permanent home of the U. S. Army’s Infantry

SchoolColumbus

Camp Hancock

Temporary home to thousands of soldiers training at its military supply and weapons school

Augusta

Airplanes• World War I was the first war that used airplanes

as weapons.• An army flight school was housed in Georgia.• Over 2,000 combat pilots were trained on Georgia soil.• These pilots went on to fly missions in Europe.

Eugene Jacques Bullard

• First African American Combat Pilot

• From Columbus, GA• Flew for France

Textile MillsMade Fabric for Military Uniforms

Railroads

Carried arms, ammunition, and

soldiers to ports where ships waited to sail for

Europe

FarmersGrew more food crops, tobacco, and livestock

Victory GardensMany Georgians grew “victory gardens” to raise

their own vegetables so there would be more food for the military.

Atlanta FireOn May 21, 1917, Atlanta’s attention was briefly

drawn away ...

Early that morning, many residents were told to collect water they might need for the day because the city’s water supply was to be cut

off for a while.A fire broke out, and the firemen had little water to put it out.

Over the next 10 – 12 hours, more than 70 city blocks were destroyed.

Resources LowAfter 3 years of fighting, the British and French troops’ resources were running low.

Planes,Tanks,

Motorized vehicles,and

Manpower

Germany SurrendersBy October 1918, Germany was ready

to surrender.The world had lost

nearly 10 million people, and more than 115,000 of them were American soldiers.

Calamity Jane Calamity Jane was a huge heavy artillery gun on

wheels which fired the final shots of World War I at 10:59 a.m. on November 11, 1918.

The War to End All Wars Was Over!

President Wilson“Everything for which

America has fought has been accomplished. It

will now be our fortunate duty to assist by

example, by sober, friendly counsel, and by

material aid, in the establishment of just

democracy throughout the world.”

Armistice Day On Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, “The Great

War” was over.For years afterward, Georgia and the rest of the

nation rang church bells and held ceremonies at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month to commemorate victory and peace.

Peace...PartyAmerica was at peace, and

the party was about to begin...