Axis Advances The Draft The Depression Ends New Jobs for Women Who were the significant leaders for the Axis and Allied powers? How did the leaders of the Allied and Axis forces help or harm the people of their countries? How did the role of women change during the period of WWII and how did the perception change after WWII? How did industry develop during WWII to meet the needs of its armed forces? How was the US able to supply its armed forces overseas in Europe and Asia?

Axis Advances Things did not look good for the Allied powers. The Axis powers held most of Europe and North Africa as well as much of East Asia. The Soviet Union was ruled by a dictator named Joseph Stalin. Before WWII, Stalin and Hitler made an agreement not to attack each other. Like Hitler, Stalin had dreams of expanding his nation.

When Germany invaded Poland the Soviet Union helped and the two countries split Poland. However, Hitler broke the agreement and invaded the Soviet Union. Stalin had no choice but to join the Allied powers and fight against Germany and the Axis powers.

The Draft When the US entered WWII, the country was not prepared for a major war. The military did not have nearly enough men to fight battles around the world. Before the war was over, more than 10 million men were drafted into the military.

Depression Ends Even before the US entered the war, FDR knew that the US was the only democratic nation in the world who could produce enough weapons to defeat the Axis powers. He called on factory owners and workers to put their energy into making military equipment.

Automobile companies stopped making cars and started making tanks and military trucks. Shipyards operated 24 hours a day, building ships quicker than Japan and Germany. The airplane industry grew so quickly it became the single largest industry in the world.

This massive industrial strength of the US gave the Allies a major advantage in WWII. All this production had another very important effect. Factories had to expand and created millions of new jobs. People poured into cities where factories were located.

New Jobs for Women More than 350,000 women served the US military during WWII. Women worked as nurses, air plane pilots, radio operators, and mechanics. They served all over the world.

At the same time the US was facing a shortage of workers. Millions of men left their jobs to serve in the military. Since industry was booming, factories needed workers more than ever. Women helped solve this problem by going to work to make weapons and other war-related products.

Grocery stores started staying open late so working mothers could buy food for their children on the way home.

Who were the significant leaders for the Axis and Allied powers? How did the leaders of the Allied and Axis forces help or harm the people of their countries? How did the role of women change during the period of WWII and how did the perception change after WWII? How did industry develop during WWII to meet the needs of its armed forces? How was the US able to supply its armed forces overseas in Europe and Asia?