Utah's Industry Shift in WWII

Utahs Industry Shift in WWII
Juan A. Caballero Prieto Word Count: 1,487
Utahs Industry Shift in WWII: Finalizing US Integration Based on Economic Adaptability and Geographic Advantage
The Topaz internment camp in Topaz, Utah, in 1943 (associated press) http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/07/entertainment/la-et-cm-japanese-internment-camp-museum-20120806
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During the Civil War, Utah had been mistrusted by Abraham Lincoln and the United States Government in general. As World War I (WWI) took place from 1915 to 1918, Utah showed its loyalty to the US by sending grain from the Mormon Relief Society2 and defending local towns form possible enemy attacks. After a depression that had lasted from 1919 to 19413 and having received federal relief funds of some $289 million4 Utah had, once more, something to prove. When WWII ended, Utah emerged from the conflict and unquestionable supporter of the country, with an economy forever changed, and a people with loyalty unquestioned by the US Government.
Economically Adaptable: Women and Parachutes As the US entered WWII after the Japanese attack on September 7th, 1941, Utah civilians were focused on the economic struggle the state had been suffering since the end of WWI in 19185. As the US began its militarization process, Utah, as the rest of the country, saw a rapid decrease in unemployment rates due to the newly created jobs. Initially, the states military personnel was less than one percent of the overall US strength, some four 4,000 men;6 a number that would rise to 62,107 by June 1945.7 Universities saw a reduction in new students,8 and the coal mines swung into 24-7 production. These preparations would only confirm Utahs readiness for war, a fact welcomed by a US government seeking a secure location for military supplies from possible Japanese inland attacks. Utahs distance from the ocean and high altitude, flanked
2 3
Borneman pp. 24-5 As seen in class, Borneman p. 27; May p. 172 4 A per capita average of $569, 9th highest in the nation (p. 177) 5 At its height 36%, according to my notes; see Borneman p. 27 6 Powell p. 109 7 Powell p. 119 8 Powell p. 109
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by mountain ranges gave it a prominent position.9 Furthermore, the highly unpopulated areas in the state could be used for artillery and bombing training without threat to the civilian population.10 Aware of Utahs military opportunities, business and political leaders of the state sought to obtain military contracts for military facilities, which resulted in a per capita distribution of US military funds nearly three times as large as any other state in the nation.11 The US would spend some $40 million in the West during the war, a turning point for the development of the region.12 Manti, a community 123 miles south of SLC and settled in 1849 by LDS pioneers,13 gained a contract for the construction of the Parachute Company of Utah,14 in which women worked forty-eight hours a week;15 an example that would prove an increase in women workers from 17.6 percent in 1940 to 36.8 percent in 1944.16 This agrarian community would be transformed by some $4.4 million given to the Sanpete County from the Federal Government.17 Sanpete County in general and Manti in particular, serves as an example of the transformation of Utah cities from agricultural communities to industrialized ones.18 The plant in Manti was staffed and supervised mainly by women from sixteen to forty years of age,19 historically a group heavily protected by the LDS church. 20 The Mormons would
US Government had previously stored 15% of the leftover ammo from WWI at Ogden Arsenal May pp. 182-3; Powell p. 119 11 Powell p. 110; $188 on average vs. $534 in Utah 12 Borneman p. 14 13 Borneman p. 20 14 Borneman p. 29 15 Powell p. 122; Borneman p. 31 16 Powell p. 122; see Borneman p. 98 17 Borneman p. 27 18 See Borneman pp. 21-7 for details 19 Borneman p. 33 20 Political unrest for this private company followed; see Borneman pp. 35-7
10
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stand by their belief in women staying in the home in direct contrast with the Manti parachute plant, which would lead its members to oppose said factories in principle, though it seems patriotism superseded religious practice.21 Despite religious belief, women over forty years of age were allowed enfranchisement, as the Independent Parachute Company of Utah was created for them at the local LDS bishops storehouse. These liberties however, were not granted to loyal Japanese Americans who would end up in Utah internment camps.
Geographically Safe: Japanese American Internment The Utah National Guard was called into action on March 3 rd 1941 in order to be sent to the Philippines. Although, when the troops departed on Dec 6th, the attack on Pearl Harbor the next day created a need for security in the US that warranted military protection of the borderline in Mexico. The Utah-made 40th Infantry Division would thus also help with the movement of Japanese American citizens from coastal areas to ten inland camps, including the Topaz Relocation Center northwest of Delta.22As the Utah jumped, headlong, into a state of war, citizens at home dealt with the fears of possible foreign agents hidden amongst its Japanese Americans. Immediately after the Pearl Harbor attack, Sego Takita Matsumiya, a nurse at St. Marks Hospital, was threatened on the bus and spat on by passengers. When she tried to join the US Army in her capacity as a nurse, she was denied the opportunity. 23 She will later tell how her
21 22
Borneman pp. 15-16 Powell p.109; see photo on the cover of this paper 23 Powell pp. 125-6
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father, a coal mine worker, was not allowed to go into the mine due to fears of sabotage, and his .22 rifle taken from him, as the moved to Brigham City.24 Utahn toleration of Japanese Americans worsened with the mood of the nation; though the president of the LDS Church, Heber J. Grant, issued a general statement to members of his congregation church stating that Americans who are loyal are good Americans whether their ancestors came from Great Britain or JapanLet us, therefore, endeavor to banish these foolish prejudices from our natures and let us attempt to see that all good and loyal Americans are treated as such.25 Whatever the position of the LDS church, it would seem, however, that Utahns prejudice toward Japanese Americans was destined to become more acute when the US Government made the decision to intern such citizens into concentration camps through Executive order 9066.26 Federal agents arrived in Utah to negotiate the construction of an internment camp on January 1942;27 the Topaz camp would open on September 11th of that same year. Some 8,000 Japanese American citizens would be brought to the location.28 However, as Japanese Americans from the Topaz camp were given a chance to serve in the US military, many did; and many were killed in action. A soldier by the name of Thomas Tako received the Silver Star for his valor. Jim Tazoi served in the most awarded army unit in history, the 442nd Infantry Regiment, and won the Distinguished Service Medal for his heroism in combat.
24 25
Powell p. 126 Quoted by Powell in p. 126 26 Powell p. 125 27 Powell p. 127; by this time, 52,000 people in Utah were government employed (May p. 183) 28 May p. 184
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Japanese Americans, just as Mormons had done in WWI, would have to prove themselves in the field of battle before they would be recognized as loyal citizens by other North Americans. However, the many sacrifices by the sons and daughters of these populous would vindicate their nationality indeed.
Conclusion Utah was a typical case for civil state behavior in WWII, though it found its location would be of benefit to the US Government, and profited from such in a way that many other states could not. As WWII drew to a close with VE day on May 8th, 1945 and in the Pacific by Sept 2nd, 1945, Utahns were very much in tune with the nation, as many recall sporadic celebrations.29 The Parachute Company of Utah had announced it closing on June 30 th, 1944.30 The Japanese internment camp in Topaz would close shortly after, on October 1945.31 Utah, forever changed, faced a future for defense; agriculture and production had been left behind, and services and consumerism had comfortably settled in. By 1978, 20 percent of workers in Utah still obtained their wages from the government thanks to its defense economy.32 Brigham Young could not have been more right as he declared the Salt Lake Valley to be the place a hundred years prior; and yet, Patrick Connor would have felt vindicated as Utah became an integral part of the modernized United States economy. Disparaging views had been integrated to the benefit of all Utahns.
29 30
Powell p. 130 Borneman p. 44 31 Powell p. 127 32 May p. 183
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Bibliography Barton, Chris, Japanese American internment camp museum breaks ground in Utah (Aug 7th 2012) online publication http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/07/entertainment/la-et-cmjapanese-internment-camp-museum-20120806 Borneman, Amanda Sue Midgley, Proud to Send Those Parachutes off: Central Utahs Residents During World War II (2006) Provo, Utah May, Dean L., Utah (A Peoples History) (1987) University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City
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Utahs Industry Shift in WWII

Juan A. Caballero Prieto Word Count: 1,487