World War II Home Front
Following the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the massive American production might was mobilized. After that attack the production of most non-essential consumer goods was halted or curtailed, and manufacturing facilities were converted to war production. A typewriter company produced machine guns, and auto plants produced bombers. Millions worked in these plants, and with so many men in the armed forces 6.5 million women eventually became factory workers. It has been stated, and probably correctly, that without the United States industrial production the war would have been lost. Everyone felt the change as normally abundant consumer goods were rationed. All metals were needed for the production of ships, planes, guns, and ammunition. Gasoline needed to propel all sorts of military equipment was in short supply. Used cooking oils were recycled to make glycerin for explosives.
The disappearance of some color dyes was most evident when the dark green used on Lucky Strike cigarette packaging was changed to white, and the company's ads proclaimed "Lucky Strike Green Has Gone To War". And go to war it did, as it was used to dye millions of Army uniforms OD (olive drab). Never in the history of the world had one nation rallied so fast and produced so much armament so rapidly.
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41,000,000,000 rounds of ammunition
36,000,000,000 yards of cotton textiles
303,713 aircraft
211 submarines
2,400,000 military vehicles
100,000 tanks and armored vehicles
27 aircraft carriers • 10 battleships
110 escort carriers
83,000 landing craft
41,000 guns and howitzers
Erected 2012 by the Veterans Council of Northwest Arkansas and Many Concerned Citizens and Organizations.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Patriots & Patriotism • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is December 7, 1941.
Location. 36° 26.015′ N, 94° 13.79′ W. Marker is in Bella Vista, Arkansas, in Benton County. Marker is at the Veterans Wall of Honor. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 103 Veterans Way, Bella Vista AR 72714, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The War Between the States (here, next to this marker); War with Spain (here, next to this marker); World War I (here, next to this marker); The Years Between (here, next to this marker); Triumph in Europe (here, next to this marker); Women in World War II (here, next to this marker); The Terrible Cost of World War II
Also see . . .
1. Veterans Wall of Honor. Veterans Council of Northwest Arkansas (Submitted on September 27, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. The U.S. Home Front during WWII. History website entry (Submitted on January 12, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 405 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 12, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 2. submitted on December 11, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 3. submitted on November 20, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
