The Home Front WWII

Facts you GOTTA KNOW! WWII affected every aspect of American Life Americans were asked to make sacrifices in support of the war effort and the ideas for which we fought

WWII Ended The Depression How???

Rosie the Riveter Thousands of American women took jobs in defense plants during the war Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) - women's branch of the United States Army; women served as nurses and radio operators

African-Americans: Racial Barriers The need for workers temporarily broke down some racial barriers Although discrimination continued, many African-Americans were hired to work in defense plants Tuskegee Airmen - first black servicemen to serve as military aviators in the U.S. armed forces - only fighter group to never lose an escorted bomber to enemy fighters!

Japanese Americans Many Japanese Americans served in the Armed Forces Many others were treated with distrust and prejudice and forced into Japanese internment camps

Rationing Americans at home supported the war by conserving and rationing resources Rationing - fixed allowance of provisions or food

War Bonds War is expensive! The United States spent more than $300 billion fighting the Axis Powers and supplying our Allies—that equals more than $4 trillion today! The United States Treasury offered Americans a series of War Bonds they could purchase during the war A War Bond was both an investment in one’s country and an investment in one’s own financial future

War Bonds: How they worked You could purchase a $25 War Bond for $18.75. The government would take that money to help pay for tanks, planes, ships, uniforms, weapons, medicine, food, and everything else the military needed to fight and win. That’s the investment in your country. Ten years from the time you purchased your War Bond you could redeem it and get $25. That’s the investment you made in your own financial future. Now, $6.25 may not sound like a lot, but most Americans bought more than just $18.75 worth of War Bonds.

Victory Gardens Victory Gardens were a big thing during WWII Americans were encouraged to grow and can as much as they could. The food from farms was needed for the war effort.

Scrap Metal Drives

Americans of All Ages Helped Out