October 4, 2010 How did Americans mobilize for war? –Place Essays in the bin –Americans Mobilize worksheet in groups –Each group presents their answers Homework: Chapter 25 Section 2

Possible Essay Question: Describe some of the hardships faced by ordinary Americans during WWII. Include soldiers, women, and minorities.

Selective Service System Eager Americans rushed to be recruited 5 million volunteers not enough for the war

Selective Service System (cont’d) Selective Service system expanded draft to provide another 10 million 8 weeks basic training

Women Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) – women serve in noncombat positions Women had status and salary but few benefits Auxiliary eventually dropped and given full benefits Nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, and pilots

Women (cont’d) Not enough workers to fill the demand so 6 million women started working in factories Earned 60% of what they would pay men

Minorities Segregation had them wondering whether or not they should fight Mexican Americans 1 million African Americans – lived and worked in segregated units and worked noncombat positions

Minorities (cont’d) Asian Americans served as spies (Japanese Americans) and interpreters Native Americans used their language for communication between the ranks 2 million hired to fill factory jobs

Manufacturers Car production halted to make tanks, planes, boats, and command cars Factories reverted to war production Mechanical pencils to bombs Shipyards building massive ships within 4 days

A. Phillip Randolph President and founder of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters African American labor leader Set up a march on the capital demanding the right to work and fight for America

A. Philip Randolph (cont’d) Roosevelt called him to the White House and asked him to back down Randolph said that there would be 100,000 to march (more than Washington D.C. could hold) Roosevelt backed down and issued executive order calling employers and defense industries to not discriminate

Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) Created to bring scientists into the war effort Spurred improvements in radar and sonar Encouraged use of pesticides to fight insects Pushed development of miracle drugs like penicillin

OSRD (cont’d) Secret development of a new weapon, the atomic bomb German scientists succeeded in splitting uranium atoms releasing huge amounts of energy Einstein warned Roosevelt that the Germans could use this as a weapon

OSRD (cont’d) Roosevelt created Advisory Committee on Uranium who said it would take 3-5 years to create a bomb OSRD set up intensive program at Columbia University in Manhattan to shorten this time Became known as the Manhattan Project

Entertainment Industry Hollywood started making war-oriented movies Propaganda movies that sturred hatred of the Nazi’s and Hitler As war dragged on, people tired of the war themes Hollywood responded with musicals, romances, and other escapists films

Office of Price Administration Fought inflation by freezing wages, prices, and rents Raised income tax rates and extended the tax to millions Encouraged Americans to buy war bonds

War Production Board (WPB) Rationed fuel and materials vital to the war effort, such as gas, heating oil, metals, rubber, and plastics Converted peacetime companies to wartime production Held drives to collect scrap iron, tin cans, paper, rags, and cooking fat for recycling for war effort Children participated in the scour for scrap

Rationing Established fixed allotments of goods essential for the military Households received ration books with coupons to be used for meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, and gas Most accepted it as personal contribution to the war effort Workers carpooled or rode bicycles Some hoarded scarce goods or purchased them through the “black market” at inflated prices