Georgia’s Role in World War I

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

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.

Soldiers Of 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. Harris Confederate Veteran  Georgia’s Governor 1st 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 McPherson Created in 1889  Center for Training Recruits and Draftees Housed German Prisoners of War. Hospital for the Wounded

Camp Gordon Over 230,000 American soldiers were trained here. This division, the Eighty-Second All-American Division, was staffed mainly by Native Georgians. Largest Augusta, Georgia Taking a break from their training exercises at Camp Gordon doughboys (infantrymen) pick a row of cotton in 1917.

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

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

Made Fabric for Military Uniforms Textile Mills Made Fabric for Military Uniforms

Railroads Carried arms, ammunition, and soldiers to ports where ships waited to sail for Europe

Grew more food crops, tobacco, and livestock Farmers Grew more food crops, tobacco, and livestock

Victory Gardens Many Georgians grew “victory gardens” to raise their own vegetables so there would be more food for the military.

Atlanta Fire On 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 Low After 3 years of fighting, the British and French troops’ resources were running low. Planes, Tanks, Motorized vehicles, and Manpower

Germany Surrenders By 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.

America was at peace, and the party was about to begin... Peace...Party America was at peace, and the party was about to begin...