THE AMERICAN HOME FRONT

 Fought in segregated units in the war, such as the Tuskegee Airmen.  When returning home from war, if they wore their uniforms, they would get beat and severely injured.  Felt they were discriminated against and felt like they weren’t given the same rights. AFRICAN AMERICANS

 Women got to work the same jobs as men.  Even though women worked to support the American troops in World War II, they were still seen as inferior to men.  A majority of rules were created to regulate how women work.  Unlike men workers, women workers suffered from the “double shift” of work and also had to take care of their family at home.  Labor shortages made companies desperate, so they took hiring women seriously. WOMEN

 More than 500,000 Latinos served in the war.  Often lived in neighborhoods with other Latin Americans  Suffered discrimination prior to and during World War II  1924, U.S. Border Patrol was created  The Zoot Suit riots erupted in Los Angeles, California between marines and Latin American youth LATIN AMERICANS

 Japanese intelligence experts broke every code the U.S. forces devised  The code was modified and expanded by Navajo Native Americans  The code was approx. 200 terms growing to over 600 words by the wars end, and could communicate in 20 seconds  The code was considered a military secret too important to divulge NATIVE AMERICANS

 If they disobeyed the rules, they would get sent to Tule Lake, California  10 people were convicted of spying for Japan- all were Caucasian  2/3 of those in Japanese internment camps were American citizens  ½ were children  They were asked questions to test their loyalty JAPANESE AMERICANS

 The Office of Price Administration and the Office of Economic Stabilization were set up to regulate wages and prices.  The Office of Price Administration began rationing many products to make sure enough was available for military use. -Meat, sugar, rubber, and gasoline were rationed -Driving distances were restricted -The speed limit was set at 35 mph to save gas and rubber PRICE CONTROL AND RATIONING

 Every month people picked up ration coupons -Blue coupons, called blue points, controlled processed foods -Red coupons, called red points, controlled meat, fats, and oils -Other coupons controlled coffee, shoes, and sugar PRICE CONTROL AND RATIONING

 The government encouraged victory gardens to produce more food for the war effort.  They were praised in film reels, pamphlets, and official government statements.  The government organized scrap drives to collect raw materials considered vital to the war effort.  People donated pots, tires, tin cans, and car bumpers. VICTORY GARDENS AND SCRAP DRIVES

 After Pearl Harbor, America rapidly increased its war production.  America workers were twice as productive as German workers and five times more productive than Japanese workers.  In May 1940, President Roosevelt announced a plan to build 50,000 warplanes a year.  Two months later, FDR asked Congress to build a “Two-Ocean” Navy. MOBILIZING FOR WAR

 President Roosevelt created the National Defense Advisory Committee.  Automobile factories began producing tanks, jeeps, and trucks for the war effort.  They also built rifles, mines, helmets, and pontoon bridges.  Liberty ships were mass produced. MOBILIZING FOR WAR

 In 1940, Congress passed the Selective Service and Training Act.  This was the first peacetime draft in American history.  Over 60,000 men enlisted in the army the month after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  The army experienced supply shortages. -Soldiers carried sticks representing guns and threw stones to simulate grenades.  Soldiers were issued uniforms, boots, and equipment labeled “G.I.” which meant “Government Issue”. BUILDING AN ARMY