Global Struggles Unit

America and World War II Mobilizing for War Chapter 21 Section 1

Converting the Economy Background – December 7, 1941 – Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor – FDR put up a solid front but admitted to his wife he was worried about fighting a two front war – Winston Churchill was not worried Believed that a victory in modern war depended on a nation’s industrial power “Once the fire is lighted under it there is no limit to the power it can generate”

Converting the Economy Background – American Workers were twice as productive as Germans and five times more productive than Japanese workers – After the attack on Pearl Harbor, America increased its war production After the German blitzkrieg took over France, FDR declared a national emergency Declared 50,000 war planes to be built a year

Converting the Economy Background – National Defense Advisory Committee Helped mobilize the economy Government would sign cost-plus contracts – The government would agree to pay a company whatever it cost to make a product plus a percentage of the cost – The more a company produced and the faster it worked the more money it would make – Reconstruction Finance Corporation Make loans to companies wanting to convert their factories to war production

American Industry Gets the Job Done Tanks Replace Cars – Automobile factories began producing artillery, rifles, mines, helmets, pontoon bridges – Henry Ford used his assembly line to manufacture the B-24 Bomber Building the Liberty Ships – Basic cargo ship – Ships were welded instead of riveted – Took 41 days to make a Liberty Ship

American Industry Gets the Job Done The War Production Board – Authority to set priorities and production goals, control distribution of materials – Clashed with military Military would still sign contracts to businesses without consulting the WPB

Building an Army Creating an Army – Most people opposed a peace time draft but now that is going to change – Congress approved the first peacetime draft

Building an Army You’re in the Army Now! – More than 60,000 men enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor – Recruits had to live in tents – Equipment shortage Sticks instead of guns Stones instead of grenades Trucks labeled TANKS – Issued clothing with the mark GI (Government Issued)

Building an Army You’re in the Army Now! – Basic training Lasted 8 weeks Learned how to handle weapons, load backpacks, reap maps, pitch tents, and dig trenches Helped break down barriers between soldiers – Recruits came from all over the country

Building an Army A Segregated Army – At the beginning of the war the military was segregated African Americans had separate barracks, latrines, mess halls African Americans were organized into their own military units – with white officers commanding them – African Americans were usually kept out of combat by being assigned to construction and supply units

Building an Army A Segregated Army – Pushing for “Double V” – National Urban League encouraged African Americans to join the war effort – Double V campaign Urged African Americans to support the war to achieve a double victory – Victory 1 – Hitler’s racism – Victory 2 – Racism at home

Building an Army A Segregated Army – African Americans in Combat Air Force created its first African American Unit – Pilots trained in Tuskegee Alabama and they became known as the Tuskegee Airmen Many other African American Troops were put into combat roles

Building an Army A Segregated Army – Other Minorities in the Military During the first part of the war Japanese Americans were not allowed to serve in the war Most minority workers were allowed in noncombat positions such as kitchen workers Native Americans were an exception to this policy – One third of all healthy Native Americans served during the war

Building an Army Women Join the Armed Forces – Army Allowed women to enlist for the first time but not in combat positions – Women’s Auxiliary Corps Oveta Culp Hobby – first director Many women did not like this organization because it was not part of the regular army – Women’s Army Corps Hobby was appointed colonel

Building an Army Women Join the Armed Forces – Training programs began in 1942 for women pilots – 300 women pilots made more than 12,000 deliveries