Like two other professional football leagues – the American Association and the third American Football League – the Dixie League suspended its operations in early 1942 in the wake of the December 7th, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack and the U.S. entry into World War II.
Norfolk Shamrocks owner Harry Howren disagreed with the decision of the League (and getting inspiration from 32nd President Franklin D.  Roosevelt, who was quoted as saying that it would be good if the national baseball and football leagues were able to continue to play some games of their seasons, giving inspiration and entertainment to weary war-workers) and opted to form the Virginia Football League for the 1942 season with Dixie League member teams Portsmouth, Newport News, and Richmond.  The plans were short-lived as Newport News failed to field a team and the other three teams played only a few games before competition was cancelled due to lack of spectator interest (or else the extremely high work-load in the numerous local defense plants and shipyards just getting started up to speed in the War's first year).  The League stayed in limbo until 1946.  As American troops returned to the homefront in the United States after the end of World War II, the owners of the Dixie League member teams, led by Howren, announced plans for "reorganizing" the League.  With the exception of Roanoke (which was replaced by a team from Greensboro), the Dixie League of 1946 resembled the DFL of five years earlier, although a couple of members (Richmond and Portsmouth) opted for changes in their team names.  William Nickels, Jr. continued as the League president.  While the league opted to maintain continuity on the playing field, the Dixie League joined forces with the American Association (which now had changed its name in 1946 to the third "American Football League") along with the far western Pacific Coast Football League.  On March 24, 1946, P.C.F.L. president J. Rufus Klawans announced the "Big Three" of the U.S.A.'s pro
football's minor leagues had formed the coordinating "Association of Professional Football Leagues".  The new A.P.F.L. entered into a working compact with the NFL, prohibiting the participation of players signed to "outlaw leagues" (originally directed toward the third
AFL – which never returned from its limbo – but was subsequently applied to the now newly formed pro football "major league" competitor to the old National Football League, known as the All-America Football Conference of 1946-1949 which competed with the older pro football loop).  The new coordinating Association however, lasted less than two years.  The new "working relationship" that the "Big Three" minor leagues and the older "major league" NFL reaped positive benefits for the Dixie League as the DFL teams lined up various "sponsors" with team franchises in the major pro football league.  While both Dixie League and AFL teams acted as "farm system teams" for their big league sponsors, rules were in place to prevent the stockpiling of talent for later use by the old NFL.  As a result, the major pro league teams were not permitted to raid their minor league brethren, and the quality of play, and the players, was a step-up compared to before World War II.  In addition to the new Greensboro franchise, the DFL of 1946 had two charter members change their names. The former Portsmouth Cubs became the Portsmouth Pirates, while the former Richmond Arrows adopted a familiar old name: the Richmond Rebels.  The 1946 Dixie League campaign featured a tight race between two teams with potent offenses, the Charlotte Clippers (with backs Casey Jones and Butch Butler) and Richmond (with backs Glenn Knox and Tony Gallovich).  League records for offense fell as Butler threw 11 touchdown passes and Richmond's Morgan Tiller had eight touchdown receptions.  The two teams were even in their battle for the league title until the Rebels lost their final two games.  As there were no playoffs, the Charlotte Clippers would be declared 1946 DFL Champions.