The End of the War

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The Battle of Kiska ended the active fighting in Alaska. During the remainder of the war, Japanese forces would never again capture American soil. But while the fighting ended, Alaska's strategic location continued to make it important. The troops needed to defend northern Japan against the threat of attack from Alaska diverted important Japanese resources away from other war zones.

Another aspect of Alaska's strategic location was its proximity to Russia. As part of the Lend-Lease program, over 8,000 U.S. aircraft were transferred to the Soviet Union through Alaska. American pilots flew these planes up from the lower 48 to Fairbanks (blue route on map). There Russian pilots picked up the planes to deliver them to Russia (red route). These planes played a vital role in fighting Nazi Germany in Europe.

Alaska-Siberia Air Route

On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered, ending World War II. The war had transformed Alaska. The federal government spent more than $1 billion in Alaska during World War II, a time that was both an economic and political turning point. This tremendous investment created one of the greatest periods of sudden change in Alaskan history. Over a period of 5 years, Alaska's roads, airfields, ports, railroads, and communications were dramatically improved. This modernization of Alaska benefited the civilian population after the war was over and set the foundation for Alaska's future. In 1948, the Alaskan Highway opened up for public use.

The construction of so many military bases and infrastructure provided a gigantic boost to not only Alaska's economy but also its population. While much of the work was done by armed forces personnel, civilians were extensively employed in construction efforts as well. Thousands of men and women moved to Alaska as part of the war effort, and many stayed. In 1940, 72,000 people called Alaska home. By 1950, the population had nearly doubled to 129,000.

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