Date of Award
10-16-2023
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
History
First Advisor
Patricia Mooney-Melvin
Abstract
The Pacific Northwest served an essential role in America’s “Arsenal of Democracy.” Weapons and material produced in the Northwest proved essential to the Allied victory in World War II. These weapons served as agents of destruction abroad, but became agents of transformation for the places in which they were produced. This dissertation examines four of the most important resources and industries in Oregon and Washington to emerge or expand as a result of the war: hydroelectric power, forest products, shipbuilding, and aircraft manufacture. The wartime development of these industries profoundly reshaped the physical and economic landscape of the Pacific Northwest, leading to more intensive use of the region’s natural resources, diversification of the region’s economy, and closer ties to the federal government. Although the direct combat of the war took place far from the Pacific Northwest, the war unleashed transformative powers within the region, precipitating changes that reshaped the region and continue to affect residents and their environments today.
Recommended Citation
Macica, Katherine L., "Environments of War: The Pacific Northwest and the Waging of World War Ii" (2023). Dissertations. 4060.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/4060
