1. The Homefront

2. WWII Every aspect of life affected at home. –Economy Ended the Great Depression GNP jumped from $91 bil to $212 bil Unemployment dropped –“Please be polite to our waitresses, they are harder to get than customers.” War Production Board created—organized shift to wartime production Average daily expenditures on military $250 million

3. Society –Women entered work force--Female labor force grew by 5 million workers during the war –Drives to collect recycled goods—metal, paper, rubber, string, kitchen fat –Shortages –Executive Order 8802 ended discrimination in war industries (lacked enforcement) –Japanese internment –Factories shifted to war goods—cars to tanks, nylon hose to nylon parachutes, passenger airplanes to military ones… (even Louisville slugger stopped making bats to make guns)

4. Women in the Workforce Norman Rockwell's painting of Rosie the Riveter was auctioned by Sotheby's on May 22, 2002 for $4,959,500. The painting is 52 by 40in. (132.1 by 101.6cm.) and signed Norman/Rockwell, oil on canvas. Painted in 1943

5. Daily Life –Food rationing—especially tough to get— coffee, meat, sugar, canned fruits, cheese, butter, liquor –Passenger cars stopped –Clothing styles altered –Gas and rubber rationed –Entertainment—movies made with war themes. –Sports—baseball continued

6. Ration Books ration book Gasoline rations

7. Food Victory Gardens

8. Fashion V-Pins worn by wives, mothers, girlfriends, etc…

9. Patterns called for ½ the amount of materials

10. $$$ How to pay for war? –Taxes (40%) Extended to millions. 1939 only 4 million paid taxes 1942 42 million Payroll deductions –Bonds –National debt went up Federal govt spending –1940 9.1 billion –1945 98.4 billion

11. Letters

13. Great Britain

14. In Soviet Union

15. In Germany

16. In Japan