Module VIII: WWII - A Turning point for Alaska

Essential Question:  Describe the legacy of World War II (WWII) for Alaska.  What happened in Alaska after the war that is largely attributable to WWII?  What are Alaskan's living with today that is attributable to WWII?


Landscape:  Alaska's landscape dramatically changed as a result of our heavy involvement in the build-up before, involvement during, and aftermath of World War II.  

Aerial of NOB Ship Repair and vicinity at Adak Alaska. Sept. 6, 1945
historylink101.com

In the 1920's, even before the war started, the U.S. Government planned on including Alaska as part of a strategic defensive build-up that would increase their global importance forever and put them on the map.  This defense  was known as the Panama-Hawaii-Alaska triangle that finally came to fruition when congress passed it through in 1939.  As a result, naval bases we're constructed in Kodiak, Sitka, and Dutch Harbor.


The military also was forced to built air bases on some of the Aleutian islands so that they we're within striking distance of the islands of Attu and Kiska that the Japanese had acquired soon after the Pearl Harbor attack.

sitnews.com

The second World War also sped up the need to add a highway connecting Alaska to Canada and the rest of the United States.  Thus, the Alaska-Canada Military highway, a 1,420 long road, was constructed.  This magnificent accomplishment was completed using both military personnel and civilians and was done in record time (i.e., 9 months)


I really enjoy looking at the old black-and-white pictures of the ancient machinery constructing the Alaska-Canada Military Highway.  It's hard to believe it's only been about 70 years ago.


Population:  The increase in military involvement in the territory brought an influx of people to Alaska from outside to both villages and cities.  In fact, the U.S. Government sent twice the amount of military personnel as there we're civilians in the territory at that time.  Not only we're military personnel sent up to strengthen the western perimeter of the United States, but through the Lend-Lease agreement, Russian pilots and other military personnel we're sent to Fairbanks to aid Russia on the German front.


Some of the people who came here as a result of the war would end up returning to their homes but many would end up staying which is evidenced by the many veterans still living here today.  My grandpa was stationed here as a B2-bomber pilot and had an amazing military career with the now-called Air Force.  I never really thought about it but I wouldn't be in Alaska if it wasn't for him.


Examine:  What was the rationale for the lend-lease ALSIB project?

http://www.everetts-amazon.com/images/ALSIB%20group.jpg
Russian and American pilots pose for photo

The United States originally agreed to the lend-lease agreement known as ALSIB because they saw the opportunity to provide aide to a friendly nation while technically staying neutral.  The original agreement was to provide material support to Great Britain and when Germany attacked the Soviet Union with no notice in June of 1941, the original agreement was extended to Soviet Union to provide similar assistance under what was known as the First Protocol.


The idea of lending a hand to a potential enemy was extremely controversial at the time and, to historians, still is today.  The agreement, although costly at times, was given high-priority at even the highest levels of U.S. Government in hopes it would help defeat Germany in the war.


What an amazing sight it would be to see a member of the Red Army standing guard outside a hangar in the middle of nowhere, Alaska.  It almost seems too unreal to believe and, before reading this module, hadn't ever heard of the lend-lease agreement with the Soviet Union or Great Britain.


Evaluation:  This module provided information that I not only never heard about before but can't believe actually happened in our state.  It's hard to think that such a thing would happen now.  






3 Blogs:

1. Tina provided a simple format that was inviting to read and provided quality pictures.  
2. I really enjoyed the amount of quality information Christy provided in her response to this weeks module.  She tackled a different essential question than I did so it was nice to explore that information a little more.
3. Kelley's blog summarized the information included in the module in a real easy way to understand.  She also included some good pictures.