World War II: Americans at War (1941–1945)

Mobilization How did Roosevelt mobilize the armed forces? In what ways did the government prepare the economy for war? How did the war affect daily life on the home front?

Mobilizing the Armed Forces President Roosevelt realized that he had to strengthen the armed forces if the United States were to enter World War II on the side of the Allies.

Sept. 1940—first peacetime draft in US history. Congress authorized the first peacetime draft in the nation’s history. The Selective Training and Service Act required all males aged 21 to 36 to register for military service.

Roosevelt gives “4 freedoms” speech. Freedom of speech Freedom from fear Freedom from want Freedom of worship

defense spending raised from $2 billion to more than $10 billion in the course of a year. More than 16 million Americans served as soldiers, sailors, and aviators in the war. They called themselves GIs, an abbreviation of “Government Issue.” Why should we fight?

Women! About 350,000 American women volunteered for military service by the war’s end. Military officials allowed them to work in almost all areas, except combat.

What types of jobs did women hold during WWII? Steelworkers and welders “Rosie the Riveter” Better paying jobs than they were used to holding

How were women workers affected by WWII? Extra money helped support their families Proud of contributing to the war effort Still faced obstacles Resented by some men Lack of child care Earned less than men for the same work

Women workers - postWWII Expected to give up their jobs for returning soldiers Return to “normalcy” Housewives and mothers Womens’ mags Advice on homemaking, cooking, and child care

Preparing the Economy for War FDR pushed industries to move to making war goods. Jan. 1942 gov’t set up War Production Board Convert from peacetime to wartime From this…. …to THIS!

Examples: --Ford converts some factories to Air force factories. --In Wilmington – Dravo starts building landing craft while P&J make Liberty Ships!

Building Tanks at the chrysler plant As the production of consumer goods stopped, factories converted to war production. Ford Motor Company built B-24 bombers with the same assembly-line techniques used to manufacture cars.

Each year US increased production goals, eventually doubling the production of Axis Powers. Helps the workforce— unemployment nearly disappears. – so long Depression!

Union membership increases from by over 1.5 million! after the attack on Pearl Harbor, labor and management agreed to refrain from strikes and lockouts.

Daily life on the homefront Nearly everyone had a relative or friend in the military

War effort led to shortages on typical goods—ex metal, rubber Shortages led to rise in reading of books and magazines, movies, and sporting events. Look familiar? Scrap Metal Drive – Middletown, DE

Fdr leads effort to advertise winning the war at home Collection Drives— metal, fat, cloth, food, etc

Victory Gardens home vegetable garden planted to add to the home food supply and replace farm produce sent to feed the soldiers. By 1943, victory gardens produced about one third of the country’s fresh vegetables.

Daily Life on the Home Front Wartime jobs gave many people their first extra cash since the Depression. Still, shortages and rationing limited the goods that people could buy.

The supply of food also fell short of demand. The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was established to control inflation by limiting prices and rents. The OPA also oversaw rationing, or the fair distribution of scarce items, during the war.

Ration card

Ration stamps

How To Pay for it all?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiRfFGIBb9c

The government understood the need to maintain morale The government understood the need to maintain morale. It encouraged citizens to participate in the war effort. The Office of War Information worked with the media to create posters and ads that stirred patriotism.

WWII brought job opportunities to many minorities, although discrimination against Japanese Americans increased.

Effects of WWII – African Americans Migration from South to North New job opportunities Same discrimination and segregation not as blatant as in the South 1942 – Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Founded to fight racial discrimination

Effects of WWII – Mexican & Native Americans Mexican Americans New jobs in shipbuilding & aircraft Govt encouraged Mexicans to come to the US Farm worker shortage Native Americans Moved to cities for war production jobs New experience

Effects of WWII – Japanese Americans Results of Pearl Harbor Japanese Americans viewed with fear and hostility Seen as possible spies Internment camps Govt goal was to remove Japanese Americans from the West Coast 110,000 people 1988 – US govt officially apologized Executive Order 9066