If you were in charge of getting the United States ready for war, what would be your top 5 priorities?

WWII United States War Boards and Offices

WWII War Offices and Boards Office of War Information Office of Civilian Defense War Production Board National War Labor Board Office of Price Administration

Office of War Information Sold the War to Americans Used Media such as: –Advertisements, Newspapers, Radio and Movies, Comic Books –Hollywood helped sell the war –Stereotyped villains – sadistic Germans, bumbling Italians, sneaky Japanese

Office of War Information –Used Propaganda to: Increase participation in Volunteer/Home Front Efforts To understand the progress of the war and government policy To raise $, Recruit Soldiers, Get America behind the War, Conserve Resources

Office of War Information Used Propaganda Tools such as –Catchy Slogans – Patriotic words & symbols, –Emotional words & symbols –Demonization of the Enemy –Name Calling –Caricatures and Humor - –Bandwagon –Half-Truths/Lies

Office of War Information Used fear, and sometimes racist imagery

Office of War Information

Controlled Hollywood Movie Production –Informed the nation about the causes and reasons for the war Casablanca –Encouraged Americans to back the war effort and often encouraged anti-Japanese & anti- German sentiment Confessions of a Nazi-Spy, Yellow-Peril –Increased Morale Bugs Bunny “Nips the Nip”

Office of Civilian Defense Coordinated volunteer efforts. –Asked civilians to contribute 1/hr/day to US. Air raid wardens enforced blackouts Spotters scanned sky for enemy Victory gardens Collection of war materials – newspaper, rubber, aluminum, tin, steel

Office of Civilian Defense

War Production Board Supervised the Nation’s Economy –limiting the production of materials not essential to the war effort –Convinced manufacturers to switch from making consumer goods to making military goods –Convinced business to build new plants to increase production Paid for some new plants and equipment Relief from antitrust laws to war-related industries Guaranteed fixed and large profits

War Production Board

Office of Price Administration –Controlled prices of goods and rents –Rationing – limited the demand on scares supplies and other products by issuing coupons Tires, automobiles, shoes, nylon, sugar, gasoline, fuel oil, coffee, meats and processed foods. Almost 90% of retail food prices were frozen Quota for each family based on number of people in the household and their needs Merchants gave coupons to suppliers in order to restock One of most controversial elements of war – Americans could afford more, but not available

Office of Price Administration

National War Labor Board –Controlled wages and monitored inflation –Gained Labors pledge to avoid strikes during war –Enforced settlements between companies and workers over wages, hrs., working conditions –Insured Women War workers, equal pay for equal work –Enforced Collective Bargaining

NWLB Rosie the Riveter

NWLB

1. Which war office or board produced the following poster and what was the role of the office?

2. Which war office produced this poster and what was the role of the office?

3. Which war office produced this poster and what was the role of the office

4. Which office produced this poster and what was the role of the office?

US Economy GDP - all the goods and services produced in a year –- more than doubled during the war years 17 M new jobs –Unemployment rate dropped to 1.5% from 1932 high of 25% Crop prices doubled

Gross Domestic Product WWII

US Economy Federal Deficit – the amount the government spends over collected tax revenues (Government Debt) –Up 40% from –Government borrowed money from citizens –War Bonds = 60% of funds Raised Taxes = 40% of funds –Revenue Act 1942 – ALL US citizens had to pay federal income taxes

Federal Deficit WWII

Labor No strike pledge African Americans move west and north for Defense Industry Jobs NWLB enforced settlements between workers and management Mine workers, coal, steel and RR went on strike –Wages froze –Profits rose

Women 6M women join workforce Difficulty gaining acceptance from male workers 60% less pay No security – lost jobs when men returned home

African Americans Discrimination in America continued Demands for equal treatment grew NCAA grew Double Victory Campaign –Victory in the war –Victory for African American Civil Rights Military still remained segregated

MOWM o Philip Randolph o Early leader of civil rights movement o led movement for African American equality during WWII o Angered by discrimination in armed forces and exclusion of African Americans from well- paying jobs in war industries o Planned protest against government

MOWM o Roosevelt wanted to prevent embarrassment to US government o Randolph and Roosevelt compromise –Executive Order 8802 Govt. agencies, job training programs and defense contractors end discrimination Fair Employment Practices Committee – created to investigate violations of 8802 DID NOT agree to integrate the armed forces

Japanese Internment Individual Rights vs. National Security Individual Rights – “A power or privilege a person is justly entitled to and that cannot be infringed upon by the government.” National Security - A condition of safety for a country brought about by defending it against invasion, espionage, sabotage or control by foreign powers”

Japanese-Americans Issei – immigrated from Japan, not eligible to own property or become US citizens Nisei – children of Issei, born in the US, US citizens

Japanese Internment Executive Order authorized the removal of Japanese American’s from west coast to 10 relocation camps

Supreme Court Rulings on Internment Early Rulings Supported Relocation –Hirabayashi v. US – Court ruled that a curfew order affecting only Japanese Americans did not violate civil rights –Korematsu v. US – Upheld internment – president given extraordinary powers in times of war National security over civil rights 1988 Public Law – made apologies and restitution to individuals of Japanese ancestry who were interned during WWII. –Eligible citizens could receive $20K over 10 yrs in tax free payments