Economic Success
California, geographically is a coastal state. As a result of this, it played a large role in shipbuilding for the war. Kaiser Co. was pivotal in the shipbuilding industry. Unemployment was virtually nonexistent since so many new shipbuilding companies were underway. Even though women entered the workforce in mass numbers, there was still a labor shortage. As a result, the country signed a guest worker program with Mexico, known as the Bracero Program. Later, this converging of cultures would create tensions between the local serviceman and the Mexican laborers. Due to this economic success there was a great deal of urbanization took place in the Los Angeles area, as well as in San Francisco.
California, geographically is a coastal state. As a result of this, it played a large role in shipbuilding for the war. Kaiser Co. was pivotal in the shipbuilding industry. Unemployment was virtually nonexistent since so many new shipbuilding companies were underway. Even though women entered the workforce in mass numbers, there was still a labor shortage. As a result, the country signed a guest worker program with Mexico, known as the Bracero Program. Later, this converging of cultures would create tensions between the local serviceman and the Mexican laborers. Due to this economic success there was a great deal of urbanization took place in the Los Angeles area, as well as in San Francisco.
Military Usage
The military had other uses for California other than shipbuilding. Her deserts were converted into bomb zones and numerous bases were built, army and naval. Air fields were also constructed. California became a center for military construction and employment. The factories in California produced nearly 17% of the military supplies needed for the war.
The Japanese
Californians also lived in fear of attack by the Japanese. After Pearl Harbor, there were Japanese submarines attacking merchant ships off the coast of California. This heightened the fear which already existed. As a result of this threat and concern regarding the loyalty of the Japanese population living in the coastal areas, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. Almost immediately, those of Japanese descent, living within "Western Defense Zone," had to leave their homes and be relocated away from the coastline. One of these internment camps was half-way across the country. The discrimination against the Japanese was so severe that the Chinese started wearing buttons saying 'I am Chinese.' This became one of our more darker stains in American history.