1. LIFE ON THE HOME FRONT
Chapter 14 Section 3

2. LIFE ON THE HOME FRONT WOMEN AND MINORITIES GAIN GROUND Main Idea
With many men on active duty, women and minorities found factory and other jobs open to them.

3. WOMEN AND MINORITIES GAIN GROUND
War began to dramatically change American society at home
War finally ended Great Depression because of 19 million new jobs created in mobilization
New jobs also paid more and doubled families income
New jobs and better economic conditions did have a cost
Had to move where defense jobs were and housing conditions were terrible (led to race riots, strikes )
Goods rationed and taxes were high
Earning more money but working 90 hours a week
Companies also wanted to hire only white men, but with so many at war had to give into pressure to hire women and minorities

4. WOMEN AND MINORITIES GAIN GROUND
Women in the Defense plants
During Great Depression believed that married women should not work outside the home
Most working were young, single and employed in traditional female jobs (domestic work/teaching)
Wartime labor shortage forced factories to recruit married women for industrial jobs
Gov’t hired 4 million for secretarial jobs, but women in factories made for better propaganda
“Rosie the Riveter” became symbol for campaign to hire women factory workers

5. WOMEN AND MINORITIES GAIN GROUND
Rosie was a character from a song by Four Vagabonds
Lyrics told of Rosie working in a factory while boyfriend served in Marines
Rosie everywhere and eventually 2.5 million women worked in shipyards, aircraft factories and other manufacturing plants changing perspectives of middle class women
End of war number of women in the workforce went from 12.9 million to 18.8 million
Most women were laid off or left jobs voluntarily after war BUT changed attitudes about women in the workplace

6. WOMEN AND MINORITIES GAIN GROUND
African Americans Demand War Work
Factories resisted hiring African Americans
“A. Philip Randolph” head of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (union for African American Railroad workers)
Told FDR that he was organizing thousand to march on Washington to get defense jobs
FDR issued Executive Order 8802 on June 25th 1941
Declared that “there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color or national origin”
To enforce order president created the Fair Employment Practices Commission
First civil rights agency in federal gov’t since reconstruction

7. WOMEN AND MINORITIES GAIN GROUND
Mexican Farmworkers
1942 federal government arranged for Mexican farmworkers to help harvest in southwest
These laborers were part of the “Bracero Program”
Bracero = worker in Spanish
200,000 Mexicans came to help harvest fruit and vegetables
Also helped build and maintain railroads
Program continued to 1964
Migrant farmworkers became important part of Southwest agriculture

8. LIFE ON THE HOME FRONT A NATION ON THE MOVE MAIN IDEA
Millions of Americans relocated during the war to take factory jobs or to in less prejudiced areas

9. A NATION ON THE MOVE
To get new jobs American’s had to move to be near factories
15 Million moved during the war
Most headed west and south in search of jobs
Growth of southern California and cities in the Deep South created a new industrial region
Known as the “Sunbelt”

10. A NATION ON THE MOVE The Housing Crisis
Most difficult task for cities with war industries was where to put thousands of workers arriving for jobs
Tent cities popped up and parks filled with tiny trailers
Congress pass Lanham Act in 1940 which gave $150 million for housing in these cities
FDR in 1942 created National Housing Agency to coordinate all gov’t housing programs
By 1943 programs had given 1.2 billion for housing
Prefabricated public housing had tiny rooms, thin walls and poor heating…better than no housing!
About 2 million people lived in public housing

11. A NATION ON THE MOVE Racism Leads to Violence
African American’s left the South during World War I known as “Great Migration”
Slowed during Depression but increased again during World War II due to jobs
African Americans were often met with suspicion and intolerance
In Detroit June ,000 people were in Belle Isle park to cool off
Gangs of white and African American teenage girls began fighting which trigger others and led to riots across the city
25 African Americans and 9 whites were killed

12. A NATION ON THE MOVE The Zoot Suit Riots
Prejudice boiled over in Southern California along with juvenile delinquency
Young people began committing more crimes and in LA racism against Mexican American and fear of juvenile crime link because of the “zoot suit”
Baggy pleated pants and overstuffed knee-length jacket with wide lapels and sometimes a wide brimmed hat

13. A NATION ON THE MOVE
In contrast, most men wore “victory suit” to save fabric for the war
A suit with no vest, no cuffs, a short jacket and narrow lapels
In Cali, Mexican teenagers adopted the zoot suit
June 1943 rumors that zoot-suiters had attacked several sailors
In response, 2,500 soldiers and sailors attacked Mexican American neighborhoods in LA
Police did not intervene and violence continued for several days
Racial hostility did not stop Mexican Americans from joining the war
500,000 served in armed forces … 17 received Medal of Honor

14. A NATION ON THE MOVE Japanese American Relocation
After Pearl Harbor, Americans took out anger on Japanese Americans / immigrants
Mobs attacked businesses, banks not cash checks, stores refused service
Newspapers reported on rumors of Japanese spies in Japanese American community
Congress, mayors and business leaders wanted Japanese Americans removed from west coast (didn’t believe they would be loyal to United States)
February , FDR signed order allowing War Department to declare any part of the United States as a military zone and to remove people from that zone

15. A NATION ON THE MOVE
FDR felt justified in decision when 4 days later Japanese submarine surfaced off coast of Santa Barbara Cali.
Oregon forest was also bombed so Secretary of War (Henry Stimson) declared west coast a military zone
All people of Japanese ancestry to evacuate to 10 interment camps inland
Not all accepted without protest (claimed violated rights of Japanese Americans)
Korematsu V. US – Supreme court 1944 decision that relocation was constitutional because based on military urgency not race
Shortly after ruled that American citizens couldn’t be held against their will so in 1945 gov’t began to release Japanese Americans from Camps

16. A NATION ON THE MOVE
No Japanese American was ever tried for espionage or sabotage
Japanese Americans served as translators for army
442 Japanese American unit was most decorated unit in World War II
After the war Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) tried to help those who lost property during relocation
1988 President Regan apologized to Japanese Americans on behalf of gov’t
signed legislation giving 20,000 dollars to each surviving Japanese American who had been interned

17. A NATION ON THE MOVE Italian American and German American Relocation
Hundreds of thousands of German and Italian Americans also had freedom restricted during the war
December , FDR signed order saying all unnaturalized residents of German and Italian descent over 14 designated enemy aliens
Subject to gov’t regulation: travel restrictions, had to carry id cards and personal property could be seized
Over 5000 were arrested and forced to live in military internment camps in Montana and North Dakota

19. LIFE ON THE HOME FRONT DAILY LIFE IN WARTIME MAIN IDEA
The federal government took steps to stabilize wages and prices, as well as to prevent strikes. Americans supported the war through rationing, growing food, recycling and buying bonds

20. DAILY LIFE IN WARTIME Wage and Price Controls
Wages and prices began to rise quickly because of high demand for workers and raw materials
FDR worried about inflation and to stabilize created “Office of Price Administration” (OPA) and the Office of Economic Stabilization (OES)
OES regulated wages and the price of farm products
OPA regulated all other prices
OPA and OES kept inflation under control and the War Labor Board (WLB) tried to prevent strikes
In support most American Unions issued a no strike pledge
Asked WLB to mediate disputes instead of striking… end of war had helped to settle more than disputes

21. DAILY LIFE IN WARTIME Blue Points, Red Points
Demand for raw materials and supplies caused shortages
OPA began “rationing” to make sure enough was available by limiting purchase of products to make sure there was enough for military
Meat, sugar, gasoline, driving distances were rationed
Speed limit was set at 35mph to save gas and rubber
1 person per household got a book of ration coupons each month
Blue coupons (aka blue points) were for processed food
Red coupons (aka red points) were for meats, fats and oils
Other coupons controlled things like coffee, shoes and sugar (13 rationing programs total during war)
When people bought rationed items, had to give enough coupon points to cover their purchases
Most rationing ended before the war was over (except sugar and rubber (ended 1947))

22. https://Rations video

23. DAILY LIFE IN WARTIME Victory Gardens and Scrap Drives
Planted gardens to produce more food for war effort… in backyards, school yards, city parks and empty lots
Gov’t encouraged these “victory gardens” by praising them in film and other media
Certain raw materials were so vital to war, gov’t organized scrap drives
Volunteers collect spare rubber, tin, aluminum and steel
Donated pots, tires, tin cans, car bumpers, broken radiators and bicycles
WPB also set up fat collecting stations (important for explosives
Exchange bacon grease and meat drippings for extra ration coupons
Both activities boosted American morale

26. DAILY LIFE IN WARTIME Paying for the war
Gov’t spent more than 300 billion during World War II… to raise money gov’t raised taxes
Congress didn’t pass taxes as high as FDR wanted (American people opposed large tax increase)
Amount agreed on only covered 45% of cost
Gov’t issued war bonds to make up the difference
Buying war bonds is a way to lend money to the gov’t
Gov’t promises to repay bond plus interest at some future date
Most common war bonds during World War Two were E bonds – sold for $18.75 and could be redeemed for $25 in ten year
Individuals bought nearly 50 billion worth of war bonds
Banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions bought the rest (more than 100 billion)
Even though there were hardships, Americans felt war needed to be fought and all worked toward winning the war