World War II

September 2, 2020, marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Official records report that 226,638 men and women from Iowa served in the armed forces. The United States entered the war on December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese had attacked U.S. military and naval bases at Pearl Harbor. As men enlisted or were drafted into the war, for the first time ever, American women could also serve on active duty. Iowa women could serve in the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPS), Women's Army Auxiliary Corp (WAAC) and the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). And the major training center for the WAAC was at Fort Des Moines.

Iowa's support of the war effort was largely focused on food production. In 1940, there were 212,318 farms in Iowa with a production value of $561,836,688. In 1945, there were 208,934 farms in Iowa, with a production value of $1,232,010,705. Many factories in Iowa, such as Solar Aircraft and John Deere, were also converted to produce war materials. The state also housed a few prisoner-of-war camps for Germans and Italians in Clarinda, Algona and Eldora. One of the most famous Iowa stories from war was the deaths of the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo. The five brothers enlisted on the condition that they could serve together, a request which was approved by the Navy. But when their ship was torpedoed, all five were killed. In total, 8,398 Iowans died in the armed forces during World War II.

• Primary Source Sets: Use these primary source sets to view photographs, maps, documents and more cataloging the history of Iowans' involvement in World War II, from fighting overseas, supporting from the homefront and escaping persecution abroad. 
  • World War II - America's Motivation and Impact
  • World War II - Homefront
  • Holocaust and America's Response to Other Genocides
• History Alive: End of World War I, Beginning of World War II: Watch this video of historian Ross Kennedy, professor at Illinois State University, as he illustrates the events that led to the end of World War I and the start of World War II. This lecture was part of the interactive History Alive program hosted by the State Historical Society of Iowa for Iowa students in the spring and fall. 

WWII Propaganda Posters from the State Historical Society of Iowa

To sustain support of the war effort, the U.S. government launched a propaganda campaign to galvanize public support. Artists were put to work to create posters that would rally support from home. View WWII propaganda posters from the State Historical Society of Iowa's collections. 

Register for the Iowa History 101 Series

Tune in August 27 at 12 p.m. for a live webinar with State Curator Leo Landis about how Iowans served during World War II, at home and abroad, and how the war impacted Iowa. You also can view past recordings of the Iowa History 101 Series. 
     + Register for Iowa History 101 Webinar

Goldie at Home Activity

This Goldie at Home activity allows you to investigate a historic World War II propaganda poster from the museum collection and then create your own poster to support a cause you care about. Goldie at Home activities connect Iowa history with STEAM education. 

Meskwaki Code Talkers

Many American Indians served in the war, including some who were called upon for their language skills. Their spoken native languages were indecipherable to the enemy and were invaluable to the war effort. This included members of the Meskwaki Tribe in Tama County, Iowa. These code talkers would broadcast information by short-wave radio to their fellow Meskwaki soldiers who would translate it into English for the commanding officer. 
     + Meskwaki Code Talkers News Clipping     
     + World War II: Meskwaki Code Talkers

Watch Videos

Listen to first-hand accounts in these Iowa PBS videos that share Iowa veterans' experiences during World War II. 
     + Iowan's Account of the Attack on Pearl Harbor     
     + An Iowa Veteran's Experience in the Women's Army Corps     
     + An Iowan Joins the Tuskegee Airmen

Listen to Iowa Stories

During World War II, a military unit called "Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section," was led by Iowan George L. Stout. This unit of American and British men and women - museum curators, art historians, librarians - worked to preserve important artistic and cultural items from destruction of war and theft by the Nazis. Watch Iowa's Remarkable Role in World War II, a lecture from the Iowa Stories lecture series, about Stout's work.

Discover Additional Resources

Check out these resources to learn more about Americans' experiences during World War II, as well as view Iowa press clippings from the time period.  
     + The Goldfinch: War! Can the U.S. Remain Neutral? (April 1983)
     + Library of Congress Magazine: Voices of War     
     + World War II Press Clippings     
     + World War II Army Casualties: Iowa