Modern Texas
By: Lauren Schondau
World War 1:
planes
trenches
Lusitania
2 key people involved in the civil War:
- Woodrow Wilson: President of the US during the war
- Colonial Edward M. House: Presidents most trusted advisor, helped write the terms of the peace treaty that followed the war.
Countries at the war:
What caused the US to enter WW1?
How did Texas play an important role during the war?
How did WW1 end?
Germany had formally surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations had agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were negotiated. On June 28, 1919, Germany and the Allied Nations signed the Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the war.
The Great Depression:
Black Tuesday
Dust Bowl
Oil boom
Herbert Hoover:
How did FDR pull the country out of depression?
What caused the Dust Bowl in Texas?
Which New Deal programs were important to Texas?
How were tenant farmers and miners affected by the great depression?
World War 2:
Attack at Pearl Harbor
Thirty-Sixth Divison
It's one of the most famous military units of the war—the “Lost Battalion.” In early 1942, a unit from the division was sent to the Dutch East Indies in the Pacific to help the Dutch and British. When the Japanese captured the islands, about 500 Texans were taken prisoner along with some 400 American sailors and 5,500 British and Australian troops.
WASPs
Doris "Dorie" Miller
An African American sailor from Waco, was serving on the battleship West Virginia when the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor came. Although Miller had no training as a gunner, he ran to an unattended deck gun and began firing. It is believed he shot down one or more Japanese warplanes while defending his ship.
Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy, from rural Hunt County, was the most highly decorated American in World War II. When he enlisted in 1942, Murphy had just turned 18 years old. He was only 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 m) tall and 130 pounds (59 kg). He went on to fight in numerous battles in North Africa and Europe and was wounded three times. In 1945 Murphy singlehandedly held off an attack by 200 German soldiers for 30 minutes so that the rest of his unit could escape. By war’s end, he had won 37 decorations—11 for bravery in battle—from the United States, Belgium, and France. Murphy won every medal the United States gives for bravery, including the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award.
Countries at the war:
Allies: Britain, France, China, Soviet Union, US
How did Texas contribute to the nation’s military effort in fighting World War II?
How did life changed for Texans on the home front during World War II?
Texans at home had to make many sacrifices. Rationing forced great changes in daily life. The federal government set limits on how much sugar, meat, canned goods, shoes, rubber, and other items people were allowed to consume. Local rationing boards issued coupons that allowed people to buy these items according to their needs and each item’s value to the war effort. Government controls on prices helped hold down the cost of items that were in short supply. Most Texans accepted rationing as their patriotic duty. However, many were upset by the rationing of gasoline in such an oil-rich state. Speed limits on Texas highways were lowered to 35 miles (56 km) per hour to conserve gasoline. Travel by train and bus greatly increased as a result.