Fontana Dam:

Fontana Dam:. Powering A Nation to Victory. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt knew he needed to act fast. In order to win world war two, the U.S. would need tens of thousands of new fighter planes and immense amounts of electrical power to build them But where would that power come from?, the President looked to TVA, and the undeveloped farming community of Fontana, NC, to answer the call. Here, along the Little Tennessee River, TVA wold be tasked with building a hydroelectric dam, one that could generate enough power for a nearby manufacturer to produce the metal for the much-needed planes., Construction of Fontana Dam began in January 1942, with thousands of workers from around the country joining the effort. A new town, complete with schools, a hospital, new roads ad railways, was also built to accommodate their families, and just three years later, the dam itself was complete. Over the next 6 months, it provided enough electricity to build 50,000 aircraft and help the U.S. win the war.