MINNESOTA'S FACTORY CONTRIBUTIONS TO WWII

Companies

• Hormel (meat producers)
• Andersen Corporation (window manufacturer)
• Cargill (food processing)
• Genral Mills (flour)
• Munsingwear (underwear)

U.S. Military planners knew that if the U.S. entered the war the would they would need more equipment to have a chance of a victory. They pushed for a larger production of military related products in factories.

COMPANIES DURING THE WAR

• Cargill (ships for the military)
• Anderson Corporation (huts)
• Munsingwear military clothing)
• General Mills (gun sights)

During the war Cargill made 18 ships for the military, some of which are still sailing today.

While most of the states farmers went off to war, the U.S. government started employing German and Italian prisoners of war to do the work.

During the war the Twins Cities Ordnance Plant started manufacturing ammunition and other military related products.
At the wars peak more than half of the employees were women.

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In 1944 about 90% of Hormels meat products were sent somewhere for government purposes.

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Axis Allies
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Germany United States
Italy France
Japan Great Britain

After the war the companies went back to making their original products. The Twins Cities Ordnance Plants production stopped in July 1945 but opened back up for the Korean War.

I believe it is important that Minnesota's companies and factories played a part in WWII because without the goods they produced even more allied troops would have died.

SOURCES FOR THE PICTURES