<P> As the largest state, New York again supplied the most resources during World War II . New York manufactured 11 percent of total United States military armaments produced during the war and suffered 31,215 casualties . The war affected the state both socially and economically . For example, to overcome discriminatory labor practices, Governor Herbert H. Lehman created the Committee on Discrimination in Employment in 1941 and Governor Thomas E. Dewey signed the Ives--Quinn bill in 1945, banning employment discrimination . The G.I. Bill of 1944, which offered returning soldiers the opportunity of affordable higher education, forced New York to create a public university system since its private universities could not handle the influx; the State University of New York was created by Governor Dewey in 1948 . </P> <P> World War II constituted New York's last great industrial era . At its conclusion, the defense industry shrank and the economy shifted towards producing services rather than goods . Returning soldiers disproportionately displaced female and minority workers who had entered the industrial workforce only when the war left employers no other choice . Companies moved to the south and west, seeking lower taxes and a less costly, non--union workforce . Many workers followed the jobs . The middle class expanded and created suburbs such as the one on Long Island . The automobile accelerated this decentralization; planned communities like Levittown offered affordable middle - class housing . </P> <P> Larger cities stopped growing around 1950 . Growth resumed only in New York City, in the 1980s . Buffalo's population fell by half between 1950 and 2000 . Reduced immigration and worker migration led New York State's population to decline for the first time between 1970 and 1980 . California and Texas both surpassed it in population . </P> <P> New York entered its third era of massive transportation projects by building highways, notably the New York State Thruway . The project was unpopular with New York City Democrats, who referred to it as "Dewey's ditch" and the "enemy of schools", because the Thruway disproportionately benefited upstate . The highway was based on the German Autobahn and was unlike anything seen at that point in the United States . It was within 30 miles (50 km) of 90% of the population at its conception . Costing $600 million, the full 427 - mile (687 km) project opened in 1956 . </P>

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