The Military and Alaska's Economy

One of the federal government's first acts after purchasing Alaska was to send the U.S. Army to occupy and administer its new territory. However, it wasn't until World War II that the military solidified its role as one of Alaska's economic mainstays. The military's presence in the 1940s was so major and transformational that the state was commonly referred to as 'Military Alaska.' More than 100,000 troops poured into the state along with billions of dollars for infrastructure.