, 0 0 0 , ▁but ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁it ▁had ▁grown ▁to ▁ 7 5 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁population ▁of ▁Phoenix ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁was ▁ 6 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁By ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁it ▁had ▁become ▁the ▁largest ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁South west ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 4 3 9 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Military ▁bases ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁of ▁military ▁bases ▁in ▁Arizona ▁was ▁undert aken ▁for ▁several ▁reasons . ▁The ▁state ' s ▁warm ▁weather , ▁clear ▁sk ies , ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁un occup ied ▁land , ▁good ▁rail ro ads , ▁cheap ▁labor , ▁low ▁tax es , ▁and ▁its ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁California , ▁made ▁it ▁attract ive ▁to ▁both ▁the ▁military ▁and ▁private ▁manufact ur ers . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁the ▁government ▁announced ▁its ▁intention ▁to ▁turn ▁T uc son ' s ▁air port , ▁Davis - Month an , ▁into ▁a ▁major ▁air base . ▁Within ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁months , ▁the ▁base ▁was ▁expanded ▁from ▁ 3 0 0 ▁acres ▁to ▁ 1 , 6 0 0 ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁personnel ▁and ▁the ▁largest ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Corps ' ▁bom bers . ▁Cons olid ated ▁A ircraft ▁established ▁a ▁plant ▁at ▁T uc son ▁Municipal ▁Airport ▁to ▁modify ▁bom bers ▁flying ▁in ▁from ▁San ▁Diego , ▁Fort ▁W orth , ▁and ▁Detroit