Notes # 4 Home Front Rationing Internment and strife Joining up Support for the war

Rationing As patriotism spread, Americans were encouraged to do more with less. Any material that could be spared for the war effort were. Food (Meatless Mondays) Victory Gardens (small home gardens to help feed the country) Auto mobiles (Tires needed for the war) Gasoline (General Patton: “My men can eat their cartridge belts, but my tanks have got to have gas”)

Internment and Strife Fear of sabotage at home by possible Japanese, Italian or German people living in the U.S., whether Citizen or not, led to Executive Order 9066, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 This gave military commanders the permission to move civilians into different locations. These became, mostly for roughly 120,000 Japanese, internment camps. The civilian property was seized by the government, though many had their neighbors take care of it. Though away from home, these were not “Concentration Camps”. Though life was not at its best, they still had schools, plenty of food, and lived in at least buildings that were not run down.

Zoot Suit Riots Though predominantly in 1943, these riots were throughout the entire war. Mexican workers traveled to the U.S. to fill jobs left by Americans entering the war. A Zoot Suit is a heavy dress suit that many of the Mexican workers wore. To many Americans, this much clothing was a waste of material, and looked very unpatriotic. This lead to riots on both sides, though no massive total destruction was ever caused.

Support for the War To fund the war the government sold “War Bonds”. These were government bonds that a person would buy. After a certain amount of time, the person could cash in the bond, usually for more than they paid for it. Example: in 1942 you buy a bond for $10. After the war you cash the bond, and because of interest, you now get $13. Many people bought war bonds, several of them at a time.

Hollywood The most movies made about war deal with WWII. A lot of these were made during the war, even after a battle was fought and the whole truth was not yet known. All of these movies, even at the beginning of the war when victory was not yet certain, instilled in the American population a great since of patriotism. Many Americans went to see movies a lot, no T.V. back then.

USO Shows United Service Organization: Entertainers of all sorts who would travel to the war zone or speak on the Armed Forces Radio Service to entertain the troops. Stars and Strips: the most red newspaper for the servicemen.

Joining Up After the attack on Pearl Harbor, hundreds of thousands of men started join up to fight. Back then, chances are you knew someone who had joined the military.

Women Workers Women left their homes to work in the factories. Though America was at war now, Lend Lease still continued.

Home Front Project 20 points For each section of notes, rationing, Internment and Strife, support for the war, and joining up. List facts about what each was like. Include a picture representing all four. Pick one of the four sections. Make up a character you want to be, and right about an experience that could have happened. Example: You are a child during the war, and you like to watch war movies, you grow a Victory Garden to help the war, and you recycle for the war effort.