Explore our state’s legacy of inspiring wartime stories at the museums that make up Georgia’s World War II Heritage Trail
As the United States mobilized for war abroad, federal defense dollars flooded the South in the form of military installations and defense contracts. At bases throughout Georgia, servicemen and women were trained in many forms of warfare, to include Infantry, Parachute, Glider, and Armored forces. Innovative tactics and technologies were at the center of much of Georgia’s war effort. As military leaders grasped the importance of new strategies, the training of pilots, paratroopers, and radar operators became a top priority. Once abroad, servicemen from Georgia experienced all the harsh realities of war – from home sickness and combat to capture by the enemy.
Additionally, Georgia threw its industrial might behind the war effort. Citizens on the Home Front actively supported the war by doing everything from buying war bonds to working in the two Liberty shipyards located in the state. Job opportunities opened up for women, African Americans and other groups as industries mobilized, requiring tens of thousands of workers.