Milwaukee Industry in World War II

Milwaukee was a major hub for industrial production of both civilian and wartime materials. Allis-Chalmers (11,610 employees) and A.O Smith (6,499 employees) were the two biggest industrial employers in Milwaukee. by the time the war broke out, Milwaukee was an industrial city, with 40% of its inhabitants involved in manufacturing. The cities manufacturing demand only increased throughout the war from 86,400 in 1940 to 113,800 in 1941 and finally 137,700 in 1942, when the war was in full swing. Allis-Chalmers's main contribution to the war was steam turbines for warships and in 1941 worth 4.2 million dollars in government defense contracts.