US Mobilizing for War

A. Industry Gears Up for War 1. War Time Production –Industries adapted to meet war time demands –Factories made tanks, jeeps, guns, and ammunition 2. War Production Board (WPB) –Agency created to regulate the economy –Oversaw the conversion of factories to war production –1942: WPB banned the production of automobiles –Factories would now produce military equipment

3. General Motors –Converted 100% of its production to the war effort –Made airplanes, trucks, tanks, guns, and shells –Made $12.3 billion worth of war material

B. Troops 1.Selective Training and Service Act –1 st peacetime draft in US history –Required all men ages to register –Later changed to –Deferments granted for medical and religious reasons

2.The Numbers –16 million Americans served in the military –1 million were African Americans –300,000 were Mexican Americans

C. Support and Sacrifice 1. Taxes –Taxes were greatly increased to pay for war –1 st time Middle and Low income families had to pay income tax –Taxes only paid for 40% of the war

2.War Bonds –Government sold bonds to pay for the rest of the war –Americans bought bonds at one price then could later turn them in and get paid a larger amount

3. Rationing –Americans were asked to ration food, clothing, gas, and other things to support the war effort –Rationing introduced in 1942 due to shortages of sugar and coffee –1943: "point-rationing" was started for meats, canned fish, edible fats, cheese, and canned milk.

–Clothing and material were also rationed No French cuffs or sleeves. No pockets of wool. No interlinings containing any virgin or reprocessed wool. No cuffs on coats. No belts wider than 2 inches. No hoods or scarves for blouses. For men and boys, "no second pair of trousers of matching material, no outside patch pockets of wool."

D. Opportunities and Obstacles 1. Women –Many new jobs opened up when the US entered the war –Women were encouraged to take these jobs –Women replaced men in factories and business offices

2. African Americans –Many African Americans moved North to work in factories –Received less pay than whites in the same job –Protested and marched on Washington DC –The Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) created to stop discrimination in war industries and government jobs

3. Mexicans –During the war there were labor shortages in the Southwest –US government authorized Mexican workers (braceros) to enter the country –200, 000 braceros worked in the agricultural industry in the Southwest