During WWII Guyana was still considered a British West Indian Colony, thus it was still under the name British Guiana.

The economics during this time were thrown into a state of decline following the outbreak of WWII. Relations with the United States were secured during this time due to the fact that British Guiana was a major supplier of high-grade bauxite (America Pink). Roughly two-thirds of the aluminum used for Allied aircraft was made from this Guianese bauxite.

In September 1940 the United States agreed to provide 50 old WWI destroyers to Britain, ending their claim to stay neutral in WWII. In response to this, Britain leased the US a number of sites from Newfoundland to Guyana. These sites were to be used as American military bases, leasing for a period of 99 years (Guyana.org). This agreement further increased the United States relationship with Guyana.

Atkinson Field was a US air base on the east bank of the Demerara River constructed in 1941. Later in the year when an American squad was stationed there, there would be daily trips of an American blimp along the coast of Guiana to keep a lookout for German U-boats.

Although the economy initially suffered during the outbreak of the war, over time large scale infrastructural projects were undertaken which had recovered the economy (American Pink).