1. Total War Objective: Students will determine the impact
of ‘total war’ through various texts and written response.
Warm-Up: Answer in your notebook: How did the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor impact US
public opinion regarding isolationism during
WW2?”

2. What is ‘total war’?
Total war is when a country uses all its human, economic, and military resources to
fight the war.
Targets in total war include armed
combatants as well as civilians on land and sea,
city structures/buildings and other tactical
objects (aka ‘strategic bombing’).

3. So, total war had two components:
1. Civilian contribution 2. Civilian target

4. 1. Civilian contribution
Women went to work outside the home. At first, only single women were recruited but because of labor shortages married women and mothers joined the work force. The government funded daycare centers so that women would be free to work.

5. Civilian contribution
“1943: Women building B24 bombers”, youtube.”

6. Civilian contribution
To ensure there was enough for the military and civilians, certain goods were rationed such as meat, butter, tea, coffee, gasoline, tires (rubber), clothing (fabric).

7. Civilian contribution
Citizens planted ‘victory gardens’ and sewed clothes for soldiers.

8. Civilian contribution
Paper, rubber, cloth, meat bones were collected and recycled into war materials.

9. People purchased war or ‘victory’ bonds.

10. 2. Civilian target
A nation's war effort targeted the entire enemy population (since they were all contributing to the war effort).
Carpet bombing of enemy cities to kill civilians is an example. This was carried out by both sides in World War 2.

11. The Bombing of Dresden - American and British attack on the city of Dresden, Germany

12. The Blitz of London

13. Bombing of Hiroshima

14.
WW2 Strategic Bombing of Citizens

15. “Make the connection between how ‘total war’
is defined by both the contribution of citizens as
well as the targeting of civilians and civilian
locations. In other words, why do both definitions
mean total war?” Define total war to begin your
answer. Use RACE (5-7).