WWII & THE HOMEFRONT

ON THE HOMEFRONT Council for National Defense created in 1940 to specifically convert factories to war production General Maximum Price Regulation Act: froze prices & est. rationing Revenue Act of 1942: expands the # of Americans having to pay income tax, increasing federal revenues “Dollar-a-Year” men” businessmen who went to Washington to take on jobs relating to the war effort Demand for workers increased, & finally Great Depression comes to an end Wages increased, union membership increased Govt sells war bonds, encouraged by celebrities

RATIONING Americans were asked to ration gasoline, rubber, meat, sugar & butter Families had ration cards to determine which of these goods they could still buy Women were desperate for silk stockings so they drew a line up the back of their legs to make it appear as if they were wearing them Blackouts in cities to deter enemy aircraft Skies constantly skanned for enemy aircraft Many high schools eliminated vaccinations so students could go to work

POP CULTURE Movies were mostly comedy to take people’s minds off the war Casablanca : emphasized self-sacrifice & help war “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby was a favorite song Baseball became a popular pasttime with players labeled 4-F: unfit for military service All-American Girls Baseball League formed (women)

WOMEN Entered the workforce in large numbers Left traditional “woman” jobs & go to factory jobs Rosie the Riveter symbolized American womend Women were told it was their patriotic duty to work, but were paid less than men After the war, women encouraged to return to the home for their “patriotic duty”

DISCRIMINATION Blacks worked in factories & signed up for military service Black military units were segregated & did not participate in combat Double V Campaign : campaign popularized by American black leaders during WWII emphasizing the need for a double victory: over Germany & Japan & also over racial prejudice in the US CORE: Congress for Racial Equality (1942), organized the 1 st sit-ins & boycotts

EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066 Feb. 19, 1942 Orders Japanese-Americans to internment camps, for their own protection Korematsu v. US: Supreme Court ruled that the internment camps were legal since they were based on “military necessity” 1988 federal government apologizes to those placed in camps; each survivor given $20,000