World War II: Transitions on the Home Front A brief economic and political overview

Transition to War While America declared neutrality until after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, steps were taken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to get the American economy and people ready for a potential war. Congress passed the Selective Training and Service Act (first peacetime draft) in 1940 Draft Cards: Draft card (front and back) found at: http://www.rootdig.com/draft/worldwartwo.html

Transition to War: Economic The government established in Aug. 1941 the Office of Price Administration (OPA) to set maximum prices and in December 1941, rationing took effect. Rationed items included: gasoline, tires, coffee, sugar, meat, butter, canned goods, silk stockings       Picture of a 1940 Ford roadster at the 2007 Detroit Autorama. Found at: http://www.alamy.com/stock_photography/7/1/Mark+Scheuern/A7CJBN.html Picture of silk stockings from: http://www.joeri.net/retro/fashion/ladiesshoes.htm OPA: http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/188.html#188.1

Economic: Victory Gardens The government encouraged people to grow their own food to help the war effort and to supplement the rationed food supply.

Victory Garden Poster

Transition to War: Economic The government raised money by increasing the number of people who paid income taxes and through selling war bonds. War bond image from: http://www.teacheroz.com/WWIIHomefront.htm

War Bonds

War Bonds

Transition to War: Political In his State of the Union Address on Jan. 6, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt outlined the natural rights of mankind, which were obviously being abolished under the Axis Powers. These natural rights were distilled into four freedoms that he believed all people were entitled to. (This is 11 months before Pearl Harbor is bombed by the Japanese.) Four Freedoms Freedom of Speech Freedom of Worship Freedom from Want Freedom from Fear

Norman Rockwell interpreted these four freedoms in pictures to help support the war effort. Freedom of Speech n four indelible images, Norman Rockwell painted a portrait of a country united. Rockwell wanted to express the freedoms in the simple everyday manner for which he was known. To achieve this goal he turned to his Arlington, Vermont, neighbors for inspiration. The artist recalled how Arlington resident Jim Edgerton had stood up during a town meeting to voice a decidedly unpopular opinion. Instead of objecting to his remarks, however, the townspeople honored the man's right to have his say. Rockwell felt this act of respect perfectly illustrated the idea of Freedom of Speech. His finished painting features strong contrasts; a central figure, dressed in working clothes, stands determined amidst a group of quizzical figures clad in business attire. http://www.nrm.org/exhibits/current/four-freedoms.html

Freedom of Worship Rockwell's next entry in the series, Freedom to Worship, was his attempt to illustrate the right of individuals to worship as they choose without governmental persecution for their beliefs. The painting's muted palette softens the contrasting skin tones in the multi-ethnic figures appearing on the canvas. Above the profiled faces, Rockwell further stressed the painting's theme with the simple text, "Each According to the Dictates of His Own Conscience." http://www.nrm.org/exhibits/current/four-freedoms.html

Freedom from Want Third in the series, Freedom from Want, is one of Rockwell's best-known illustrations. The often-copied composition, depicting a Thanksgiving family gathering, includes a friendly face at the painting's bottom right that appears to welcome the viewer to join those seated at the dinner table. Light shining from the window offers viewers a warm welcome. As beloved as the painting has become, however, Rockwell had concerns at the time that the image depicted overabundance, rather than freedom from want. http://www.nrm.org/exhibits/current/four-freedoms.html

Freedom from Fear Rockwell had similar doubts concerning Freedom from Fear, the final entry of The Four Freedoms. The painting depicts a mother and father tucking their children into bed at night. While the father holds a newspaper with headlines announcing wartime bombings, the light shining in the corners of the room works to dispel the foreboding aura of this somber scene. As he did with his previous work, Rockwell also fretted about this painting, concerned that it came across too smugly in its notion of American children sleeping safely while destruction and uncertainty were a reality overseas. http://www.nrm.org/exhibits/current/four-freedoms.html

Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter, image by Norman Rockwell

Some Real “Rosie the Riveters”

“Rosies” in action

More “Rosies”

Women and Overall War Production From 1940 to 1944, 6 million new women joined the workforce, most in clerical and service jobs. Women were paid less than men for the same work. African American women and women over 40 yrs old had a harder time finding employers. Unemployment dropped from 14.6% in 1940 to 1.2% in 1944. Average weekly wages rose 65 percent, and manufacturing workers saw their real income jump 27 percent. Earnings nearly doubled between 1939 and 1945. Content from American Nation, Holt Publishing, 2005 and The National Archives: The Way We Worked at http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/twww/

War Workers Picture at left is of a “man working on hull of U.S. Submarine at Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn.” By Charles Fenno Jacobs, August 1943, National Archives, General Records of the U.S. Navy, 1789–1947 (80-G-468517). Found at: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/twww/ Picture at right is of “a Bell System switchboard where overseas calls are handled. Not all of the services shown here are available under wartime conditions.” By an unknown photographer, unknown location, December 22, 1943.

WWII: Transitions on the Home Front Due to pre-war/early war economic and political preparations by the US government, Americans were better able to deal with the onset of war. These preparations allowed civilians to more effectively contribute to the war effort, which in turn helped soldiers. Picture: “Tulip Town Market, Grove Center.” By James Earl Westcott, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, July 4, 1945. World War II created numerous “boomtowns” associated with the expanding shipbuilding, armaments, and aircraft industries. There were also “secret cities” built for workers involved in the development of the atomic bomb. These grocery clerks worked in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, site of several uranium-235 extraction facilities. National Archives, General Records of the Department of Energy (433-ORN-PRO-802-6). Found at: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/twww/