World War I & II

Explore the daily lives and the history of German and Italian POWs in WWII in camps in Georgia and their impact on the Peach State.

During World War II, many Georgians witnessed the enemy in their backyards. More than twelve thousand German and Italian prisoners captured in far-off battlefields were sent to POW camps in Georgia. With large base camps located from Camp Wheeler in Macon and Camp Stewart in Savannah to smaller camps throughout the state, prisoner re-education and work programs evoked different reactions to the enemy. There was even a POW work detail of forty German soldiers at Augusta National Golf Course, which was changed from a temporary cow pasture to the splendid golf course we know today. Join author and historian Dr. Kathryn Roe Coker and coauthor Jason Wetzel as they explore the daily lives of POWs in Georgia and the lasting impact they had on the Peach State.

From the Great Depression to the economic boom of the postwar years, Hall County had much in common with the rest of the country during World War II while still experiencing the war in its own way. A devastating tornado, a naval air station, growth in textile and agricultural industries, and changes in how citizens viewed the world meant that Hall County emerged from the war with a unique perspective on the possibilities for its future. Using original images of historic places and artifacts, this book tells the story of Hall County and its people during the years leading up to, during, and immediately after World War II--a time that changed the county forever and assured its central role in the development of northeast Georgia.

Few historical events shaped the city of Atlanta more than World War II. A hub for the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, Atlanta is now home to over four million people and serves as national headquarters for a dozen Fortune 500 companies. It would never have developed to such prominence, however, without the Allied victory in the global conflict. From the social reforms of the New Deal to the economic impact of war industries, to the early gains of the Civil Rights movement, World War II in Atlanta illustrates the transformation of the city from a regional Southern town into a major industrial metropolis. Through images selected from the collections of the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center, this volume examines the war's role in creating today's vibrant, sprawling megalopolis with its diverse population. View photographs of wartime president Franklin D. Roosevelt during his visits to Atlanta and other Georgia cities. Pictures from the homefront include war bond advertisements, Bob Hope at a USO show, and victory garden promotions. The two warships named Atlanta as well as the Liberty ships named for famous Atlantans illustrate the symbolic connections between the city and the war. In addition, portraits and personal stories of some of Atlanta's sons and daughters who served in the war highlight the human side of the conflict.