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On this page, you will find a curated collection of videos, resources, guides, and opportunities for exploration that are tied specifically Iowa during World War II. Educators and lifelong learners can use the compelling and supporting questions to guide their learning and focus their exploration on the major topics. The lectures, videos, featured content, and readings can be completed at each learner's own pace and will provide necessary knowledge and background to craft and deliver Iowa History lessons in a K-12 classroom.
Back to topCompelling and Supporting Questions
Compelling and supporting questions are designed for each unit and the materials below will provide content and context for teachers, students, and lifelong learners.
Compelling Question
How did Iowans contribute to the war effort at home and abroad?
Supporting Questions
- How did Iowans contribute to the war effort abroad?
- How did Iowans contribute to the war effort at home?
- How did prisoner of war (POW) camps in Iowa affect local communities?
- What were the short-term and long-term social and economic effects of the war in Iowa?
- How did WWII change women’s roles in society?
Overview
World War Two was fought around the globe. Iowans of all backgrounds helped the United States win it. More than 8,000 Iowans died during the conflict. Men fought in all branches of the military, while women served in non-combat roles and worked in factories at home. Iowans bought war bonds, grew their own food and lived with rationing. The war brought an end to the Great Depression and created widespread prosperity.
The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 led to the US joining the war. Americans lived with the rationing of gas, rubber, and food. Families planted large gardens to feed themselves and provide more food for the war effort (victory gardens). People also purchased war bonds. About 286,600 men served during the war from Iowa, including Meskwaki code talkers, Tuskegee airmen, and those who were in the Marines, the army, and the navy. All five of the Sullivan brothers died when the navy cruiser they were on was sunk in 1942.
Millions of women joined the labor force to replace male workers who had gone to war. They made up about one-third of the labor force. (They were still paid less than men.) Women worked in many military factories in Iowa, as well as civilian employment. They also served in non combat roles in the military, working as mechanics, weather forecasters, pilots, and many other positions. The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) had a major training base at Fort Des Moines. African Americans protested segregation at the base and in factories, successfully gaining access to work at the Des Moines Ordnance plant.
Farmers benefited from high prices for agricultural goods during the war, a welcome improvement after almost twenty years of recession and depression in the state. A labor shortage on farms was partially solved by using prisoners of war from Germany and Italy to complete work on Midwest farms. There were two POW camps in Iowa, at Clarinda and Algona. The war had a profound effect on Iowa. It ended the Great Depression and brought back economic prosperity to Iowa. But it also was the start of an exodus of people from rural Iowa.
Back to topThink Like a Historian
In this video, curator at the Iowa Gold Star Museum Mike Vogt discusses historical thinking skills like contextualization, relating local stories to global events, and gathering and evaluating sources.
Major Topics of Study
When learning about Iowa during World War II, some of the key areas to cover might include:
- Iowans contributing to the war effort at home and abroad
- Meskwaki Code Talkers
- The Sullivan Brothers
- Tuskegee Airmen
- POW camps in Iowa (Algona, Clarinda)
- Fort Des Moines, Women's Army Corps
Notable Iowans
Exemplary and significant people in Iowa history from this time period could include many of the below figures. Wherever possible, links to Iowa's digital biography provide opportunities for further exploration.
Back to topHistoric Sites
Iowa is full of valuable historic sites. The below sites provide opportunities to explore the value of place-based learning and the importance of storytelling through historic sites.
Back to topState Historical Society Objects, Documents, and Photos
Objects, documents, and photographs from the State Historical Society of Iowa are excellent catalysts for further inquiry in the classroom or for independent lifelong learners.
Back to topVideo Resources
If you are looking for longer, more detailed discussions or lectures related to the themes discussed in this unit, the following resources provide further context and information.
Back to topFurther Reading
This curated collection of readings allow teachers, students, and lifelong learners to explored a curated collection of primary sources, articles, books, and essays that supplement and provide depth to the topics covered in this unit.
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