It is fascinating to hear how a small city became one of the biggest assets throughout history. In “The Impact of the Second World War on Los Angeles” Arthur Verge describes the situation of Los Angeles. He says, “The city known today as the “freeway capital of the world” did not have a single mile of freeway in 1939.” Thinking about Los Angeles now one of the first thing that comes to mind is all the traffic. Some would even say Los Angeles was a small town. This might be exaggerated but the point is that the war changed the city.
Due to World War ll, America had to up production of goods in order to supply the soldiers with proper equipment. Many people saw this as an opportunity to become successful. In 1945, 21,916 building permits were administered. Adding over 20,000 buildings meant that jobs would be created. Not only were there jobs in the buildings but constructing the buildings, streets, and roads allowed many people to find work. Thinking of Los Angeles with out freeways is equivalent to a rainbow without the color red. It is still considered a rainbow but it is not complete. Freeways are apart of Los Angeles now and without them the city can not be as efficient as it is now.
Why did so much of America move to Los Angeles after the war? Weren’t there enough people already?
crunchypeanutbutterblog 