World War II: The Home Front US History: Spiconardi

The Four Freedoms FDR’s Four Freedoms Freedom of Speech Freedom of Worship Freedom From Want Freedom from Fear True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence.

The Four Freedoms G.I. Bill of Rights In order to ensure a transition from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy, Congress passed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 Provided the following: Low-cost mortgages Payments for college or vocational school tuition One-year unemployment Low-interest loans to start a business

Women at Work: Rosie the Riveter The image of Rosie the Riveter was used to encourage women to join the workforce Rosie represented the “heroic” work of woman in wartime industries During WWII there was a 57 percent jump in the number of working women With 15 million men in the armed forces, women comprised one-third of the civilian work force

Women at Work: Rosie the Riveter “All the day long, Whether rain or shine, She's a part of the assembly line. She's making history, Working for victory, Rosie the Riveter. Keeps a sharp lookout for sabotage, Sitting up there on the fuselage. That little girl will do more than a male will do”

Women at Work: Rosie the Riveter How would you describe the women operating the industrial machinery on the cover of McCall’s Magazine?

Women at Work: Rosie the Riveter More than 500 Major League Baseball players served in the armed forces during World War II

Women at Work: Rosie the Riveter

Bracero Program Program established by agreement with the Mexican government to recruit temporary Mexican agricultural workers to the United States to make up for wartime labor shortages in the West.

Japanese Internment “An Enemy Race” The government believed Japanese-Americas could be enemy agents Relocation 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forced to move to internment camps This did not happen to German- and-Italian-Americans

Japanese Internment Why the Japanese? Racism and stereotypes The Japanese were believed to be sneaky and evil “The very fact that no sabotage has taken place to date is a disturbing and confirming indication that such action will be taken.” ~ General John L. DeWitt, Chief of the Western Defense Command

What does this edifice look like? Japanese Internment Life in the internment camp Many internees lost personal property due to the restrictions on what could be taken into the camps Theft in government storage facilities was also a significant problem What does this edifice look like?

Japanese Internment Life in the internment camp

Japanese Internment Korematsu vs. US (1944) In a 6 -3 decision, the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the relocation of Japanese- Americans Fred Korematsu sued on that basis that the government violated his Fifth Amendment rights.