Meanwhile…Stateside Home Front World War II
Essential Question World War II would change the mindsets of Americans. What major changes would occur dealing with labor especially pertaining to gender roles and race? What major sacrifices would Americans make during the war? How would the wartime economy effect the economic situation of the United States? What role did propaganda play in providing support to those at home?
Arsenal of Democracy 1930’s Size of the US Military United States was still in the Depression (though slowly recovering) Unemployment rates: 1938: 29% 1939: 25% Size of the US Military 1940: 458,000 (Total) December 7th, 1941-Pearl Harbor "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.“ Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s response to Pearl Harbor
The GI’s
Arsenal of Democracy Has Yamamoto’s prediction come true? Production Aircraft 1939: 2,141 1944: 96,318 41 Billion Rounds of Ammunition 100,000 Armored Vehicles United States: 61,000 Tanks Japan: 2,464 Tanks
Arsenal of Democracy 1940’s Size of the United States Military Unemployment Rates: 1940: 20% 1945: 2.5% Size of the United States Military 1941: 12,000,000 1941 Population of about 132 Million
Arsenal of Democracy Militarization of Industry Henry Ford’s Assembly Line https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG wimOch8U8
Fueling the War War is Expensive War Bonds War Stamps $300 Billion dollars $13 (2014)= $1 (1945) War Bonds Purchase a $25 War bond for $18.75/bond War Stamps $.25/Stamp
Rationing Government ordered Rationing Store Shelves go bare Meats, fats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables, coffee, sugar, shoes, gasoline, fuel oil Store Shelves go bare Why? Victory Gardens Gardening, Canned food
Internment Camps February 19, 1942 FDR signed Executive Order 9066 Declared any part of the country a restricted military area from which any or all person could be excluded By March 1942, Japanese-Americans had to register with War Relocation Authority (WRA) 110,000 people were told what they could bring and their homes, businesses, and other possessions were sold They are stripped of their rights Placed on trains and sent to isolated areas of the United States Forced into military style camps Eerily familiar?
442nd Infantry Unit Made up of Volunteers One of the most decorated units to fight in the war Saw combat in Germany, Italy and Southern France
End