U. S. Homefront Activities

“Rosie the Riveter 2.5 million women work in shipyards, aircraft factories, and manufacturing 4 million women hired for government clerical work

African Americans Demand War Work A. Philip Randolp, head of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, challenges FDR with a march on D.C. FDR creates Fair Employment Practices Commission- 1 st civil rights agency since Reconstruction to bar discrimination- 1941

Mexicans become farmworkers Wartime economy needed more workers bracero program- 200,000 Mexicans came to US to harvest crops

Japanese American Relocation Camps Reaction to Japanese attack on Pearl? Would Japanese Americans would not remain loyal? FDR signs order the create camps for over 100,000 Japanese Americans: No Japanese American every found to be a spy. Translators/ most highly decorated unit- 442 nd

Victory Gardens Civilians were encouraged to plant extra gardens so they would eat home produce and ship the extra food to the military.

Rationing Office of Price Administration began rationing- limiting product availability at home- more availability for military: meat, sugar, gasoline, rubber, nylon

Scrap Drives War Production Board- turns peace time factories into wartime factories Sets up collection drives: fat-collection, metal, paper, rubber to recycle for war

War Bonds Government spent $300 billion on WWII Half of the war effort was funded by E Bonds- pay $18.75 redeem for $25 in 10 years

Taxes raised to fund war Government raised taxes to cover 45% of war ( prior to WWII only the wealthiest pay taxes – ½ Americans didn’t pay at all )

Propaganda To encourage the country to support the war in every way s/wwii/ s/wwii/ possible