World War II

The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 8, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan, and three days later followed with Germany and Italy, ending the long standing Neutrality Acts. The war would come to be known as World War II and affect nearly every person in the United States, including the people in Davis.

One of the greatest domestic tragedies and a mark of local shame is the Japanese internment that occurred, especially on the west coast. The Davis City Council officially supported the internment in 1943. In addition, all people of Japanese descent were banished from the city by Mayoral decree until the end of the war.

UC Davis suspended all undergraduate studies during the war, and the returning GIs caused a tremendous explosion in enrollment in 1946¹. The spring semester of that year saw a record enrollment of 1,200 students. Student activities quickly regained lost ground, but budget issues and the position of the school as a branch of the UC Berkeley College of Agriculture saw terrible neglect to the classrooms, labs, offices and housing. Maintenance of facilities was minimal and needed major attention. Under editor Bill Allewelt, a special Aggie was printed that highlighted the conditions of the buildings, complete with photos. A group from West Hall went into the Capitol in Sacramento and placed copies on the desks of each legislator during the middle of the night. Soon after, the needed attention to campus facilities began.

The Davis Cemetery Veterans Marker, and it's duplicate at the Veterans Memorial Building, lists men from Davis who died defending our country.