WW1 - GA's Contributions

​Georgia in WWI

• Until 1917 Georgians were against the U.S. getting involved in WWI

  • GA's economy had already suffered & people were worried about war-related blockades hurting it more

• However, when the U.S. entered the war, Georgians supported it and made many contributions

• Soliders

  • some Georgians volunteered to serve in the military

  • others were drafted or chosen to serve

    • all eligible men ages 21-45 had to register

  • close to 100,000 Georgians served in the armed forces during the war

​Training Soliders in Georgia

• Many men from around the U.S. came to Georgia's military facilities for training.

• The government also built new military training facilities in Georgia to help the war effort.

• These military facilities also held prisoners of war for the U.S. government.

  • 1917 - camp at Fort Oglethorpe in northern GA held German merchant seamen

  • 1918 - moved to Fort McPherson near Atlanta

• General Hospital No. 6 at Fort McPherson treated about 10,000 wounded soldiers.

​Georgia's Military Facilities

​Georgia Modifies Its Economy

• The draft and men leaving the workforce to serve in the military led to labor shortages.

• The war effort also gave a much-needed boost to GA's economy!

• There was an increased demand for food and supplies.

​Cotton and Textile Production

• The demand for soldiers' clothing led to an increase in textile production.

  • This was good for Georgia!

• GA's textile mills provided fabric for uniforms and bandages for military hospitals.

• More textile mills were built to meet the increased need.

• Cotton was needed for these mills & the price of it increased

  • in 1915 there was infestation & farmers struggled to grow cotton

  • those that were still able to successfully grow cotton made a large profit

​Food Production

• Soldiers overseas needed food supplies

• Many GA farmers converted their cotton farms to grow & produce fruit and vegetables

• Commercial canning factories were built in GA to process & ship canned sweet potatoes and peaches

• Meat packing factories opened in Atlanta, Augusta, Moultrie & Savannah

​Victory Gardens

• Like many Americans, Georgians planted small family gardens to help support the war effort.

• Families ate fresh vegetables & fruit from their gardens as much as possible.

• This helped to save vital food supplies that could be shipped to U.S. and British soliders overseas.