The Depression. The Dust Bowl. And then, World War II. It was a difficult time for California, as it was for the whole country.
The United States entered World War II in 1941. About 750,000 Californians joined the armed forces to fight the Axis powers – Germany, Italy, and Japan. California became important to the war effort because of its location along the Pacific Ocean. The number of military bases in California increased from 16 to 41, as soldiers were sent there for training. Fort Ord, near Monterey, was one of the biggest training centers in the country.
