Canada’s Involvement in the Second World War - 5.4 Women on the Home Front Wartime Production Paying for the War

Women on the Home Front The Need for a larger labor force increased as factories began to operate seven days a week, with 12 hour days being the norm. As men left vital jobs to go off to war, there was a dramatic increase in the number of women in the workforce.

Women on the Home Front In 1942, the federal government established The National Selective Service (NSS) to recruit women into wartime work Daycare and tax breaks were provided for women to work Women worked side-by-side with men on farms By 1944, 1 million women were in the workforce

Women on the Home Front As in WW1, women volunteered (in addition to working) Operated service clubs / canteens for military personnel Parcels for POWs Knit socks / sweaters for overseas troops Ran homes and farms Raised money for Victory Bonds

Women on the Home Front The more things change, the more they stay the same: During the War, women were paid less than men for the same work After the war… Daycare & tax breaks were removed Women’s branches of the military were disbanded Women weren’t allowed to enlist in the forces again until the Korean war in 1951 Women were expected to ‘give’ their jobs back to returning soldiers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyg5zZqPYY4

Wartime Production Government spending on the war effort reached 40% of the GNP by 1944, compared to 15% in WWI. The government used such measures as rationing, compulsory arbitration, taxation and war bond sales to finance spending. Britain and the U.S. were Canada’s main customers of war materiel.

Wartime Production In 1942, the automotive industry also converted to the war effort. The production of sleek luxury cars & family sedans was replaced by the production gun carriers & armored cars.

Wartime Production Canadian war factories were safe from bombing. Canada became an arsenal, and was Britain’s chief overseas supplier of war materiel. Mutual Aid – a lend-lease program for Canadian allies which supplied them with four billion dollars worth of war materiel. A further credit of a billion dollars was given to Britain.

Wartime Production 11 billion dollars of munitions 1.7 million small arms 43,000 heavy guns 16,000 aircraft 2 million tonnes of explosives 815,000 military vehicles, 50,000 tanks and armoured gun carriers 9,000 boats and ships Uranium for the “Manhattan Project”

Wartime Production Canada was faced with the challenge of creating - practically from scratch - a strong industrial base to produce weapons and war materials for the war effort. Canadian industry and the workforce of our country stepped up with an amazing response to this situation and helped contribute to the Allied victory in the war. Canadian war factories were safe from bombing. Canada became an arsenal, and was Britain’s chief overseas supplier of war materiel.

Victory Bonds Buying Victory Bonds (War Bonds) were essential to the war effort on the home front They were a popular way to pay for the war in all the countries involved

Rationing Sugar was the first item to be rationed, followed quickly by tea, coffee, butter, gasoline and other vital materials

Recycling People were encouraged not to throw away materials such as metal, rubber, clothe, and food waste They would be recycled and used in the war effort

End of the War The war in Europe ended on May 8, 1945, which became known as V-E Day. The war in the South Pacific ended on August 14, 1945, called V-J Day. It only ended when the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

The Human Cost of War for Canada Grim Statistics The losses Canada had in the war increased patriotism and set the stage for Canada’s role in the world after the war. 55 million worldwide died in battles, concentration camps and at home. The Human Cost of War for Canada Enlistment Fatalities Army 730159 22917 Air Force 249662 17101 Navy 106522 2024 Total 1090782 42042

Paying for the war The war had cost Canada $18 billion dollars & created a debt of more than $10 billion dollars. Yet new industries had developed during the war, making Canada an important industrial nation.

After the War During the war, agriculture became increasingly mechanized, manufacturing saw massive growth, exports increased, government spending increased substantially, unemployment virtually disappeared, and more than 1 million women, who were previously engaged in homemaking moved into the workforce. The economy not only recovered from the Great Depression, which had preceded the war, but also gained the momentum that would lead to rapid postwar prosperity.

After the War From 1946 to 1957, Canada saw increased prosperity, partly due to the needs of a rapidly growing population for homes, schools, hospitals, roads, and factories. Canada’s exports also continued to grow with its participation in the U.S.-led reconstruction of a war-ravaged Europe. Canada and the United States were the only two major industrialized countries whose infrastructures were substantially expanded during the war rather than devastated

A New Age in International Affairs USA replaced Europe as center of International Affairs WW2 was replaced with Cold War between the former allies USSR and USA Canada became more closely connected with USA Emergence of the United Nations Canada became a Middle Power: smaller than a great power, but wealthier & more powerful than smaller or poorer nations