World War II: Americans at War(1941–1945)

Roosevelt gives the Roosevelt gives the “4 freedoms” “4 freedoms” speech.speech.

Freedom of speechFreedom of speechFreedom from fearFreedom from fear

Freedom from wantFreedom from want

Freedom of worshipFreedom of worship

Click me to hear about the Four Freedoms!

Mobilizing the Armed Mobilizing the Armed ForcesForces

In 1939, the size of the US armed forces ranked In 1939, the size of the US armed forces ranked only 19only 19thth in the world (behind Portugal) in the world (behind Portugal)

Roosevelt’s focus shifts from fighting Depression Roosevelt’s focus shifts from fighting Depression to preparing for war.to preparing for war.

Sept. 1940—first Sept. 1940—first peacetime draft in US peacetime draft in US

history.history. Congress Congress authorized authorized

the first the first peacetime peacetime draft in the draft in the

nation’s nation’s history. history. The The Selective Selective Training Training

and Service and Service Act Act required required

all males all males aged 21 to 36 aged 21 to 36

to register to register for military for military

service.service.

defense spending raised from $2 defense spending raised from $2 billion to more than $10 billion in billion to more than $10 billion in the course of a year.the course of a year.

More than More than 16 million 16 million Americans Americans served as soldiers, sailors, and served as soldiers, sailors, and aviators in the war. They called aviators in the war. They called themselvesthemselves GIsGIs, an abbreviation of , an abbreviation of “Government Issue.”“Government Issue.”

Women!Women!

About 350,000 American women volunteered for military service by the war’s end. Military officials allowed them to work in almost all areas, except combat.

What types of jobs did women What types of jobs did women hold during WWII?hold during WWII?

Steelworkers and Steelworkers and welderswelders

““Rosie the Riveter”Rosie the Riveter” Better paying Better paying jobs jobs

than they were than they were used to holdingused to holding

How were women workers How were women workers affected by WWII?affected by WWII?

Extra money helped support their Extra money helped support their familiesfamilies

Proud of contributing to the war Proud of contributing to the war efforteffort

Still faced obstaclesStill faced obstacles Resented by some menResented by some men Lack of child careLack of child care Earned less than men for the same Earned less than men for the same

workwork

Women workers - Women workers - postWWIIpostWWII

Expected to give up Expected to give up their jobs for their jobs for returning soldiersreturning soldiers

Return to “normalcy”Return to “normalcy” Housewives and Housewives and

mothersmothers Womens’ magsWomens’ mags

Advice on Advice on homemaking, homemaking, cooking, and child cooking, and child carecare

…to THIS!

Preparing the Economy for Preparing the Economy for WarWar

A.A. FDR pushed industries to move to FDR pushed industries to move to making war goods.making war goods.

B.B. Jan. 1942 gov’t set up Jan. 1942 gov’t set up War Production War Production BoardBoard

C.C. Convert from peacetime to wartime Convert from peacetime to wartime

From this….

Examples:Examples:--Ford converts some factories to --Ford converts some factories to

Air force factories.Air force factories.

--In --In WilmingtonWilmington – Dravo starts – Dravo starts building landing craft while P&J building landing craft while P&J make Liberty Ships!make Liberty Ships!

Building Tanks at the Building Tanks at the Chrysler plant in Newark, Chrysler plant in Newark,

DEDE As the production of consumer goods stopped, factories As the production of consumer goods stopped, factories

converted to war production. converted to war production. Ford Motor Company built B-24 bombers with the same Ford Motor Company built B-24 bombers with the same

assembly-line techniques used to manufacture cars. assembly-line techniques used to manufacture cars.

E.E. Each year US Each year US increased increased production goals, production goals, eventually doubling eventually doubling the production of the production of Axis Powers.Axis Powers.

F.F. Helps the Helps the workforceworkforce——unemployment unemployment nearly disappears. nearly disappears. – – so long so long Depression!Depression!

Union Union membershimembership increases p increases by over 1.5 by over 1.5

million!million!

after the attack on Pearl Harbor, labor and management agreed to refrain from strikes and lockouts.

Daily life on the Daily life on the homefronthomefront

A. Nearly everyone had a relative or friend in the military

War effort led to shortages on War effort led to shortages on typical goods—ex metal, typical goods—ex metal,

rubberrubber

Look familiar?Look familiar?

Scrap Metal Drive – Middletown, DE

Shortages led to rise in reading of books and magazines, movies, and sporting events Less travel…

FDR leads effort to FDR leads effort to advertise winning the advertise winning the

war at homewar at home Collection Drives— Collection Drives—

metal, fat, cloth, food, metal, fat, cloth, food, etcetc

Victory GardensVictory Gardens home vegetable garden planted to add to the home food home vegetable garden planted to add to the home food

supply and replace farm produce sent to feed the soldiers. supply and replace farm produce sent to feed the soldiers. By 1943, By 1943, victory gardens victory gardens produced about one third of the produced about one third of the

country’s fresh vegetables. country’s fresh vegetables.

Daily Life on the Home Daily Life on the Home FrontFront

Wartime jobs gave many people their first extra cash Wartime jobs gave many people their first extra cash since the Depression. Still, shortages and rationing since the Depression. Still, shortages and rationing

limited the goods that people could buy.limited the goods that people could buy.

The supply of food also fell short of demand. The supply of food also fell short of demand. The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was

established to control inflation by limiting prices established to control inflation by limiting prices and rents. and rents.

The OPA also oversaw rationing, or the fair The OPA also oversaw rationing, or the fair distribution of scarce items, during the war. distribution of scarce items, during the war.

Ration cardRation card

Ration stampsRation stamps

Gas RationingGas Rationing

3 to 4 gallons per week

8 gallons per week (military industry worker)

Truckers – 8 Gallons plus – depending on work

UNLIMITED!Congress, ministers, firemen, police

Gas RationingGas Rationing

How To Pay for it all?How To Pay for it all?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiRfFGIBb9c

The government understood the need to maintain morale. It encouraged citizens to participate in the war effort. The Office of War Information worked with the media to create posters and ads that stirred patriotism.

PROPAGANDA!

PropagandaPropaganda

Used by Used by allall sides sides Meant to influence Meant to influence

your thoughts!your thoughts! Instill Instill patriotism, patriotism,

confidence, and a confidence, and a positive outlook positive outlook

Or …Or … sought to sought to ward off ward off

complacency with complacency with grim, scary or grim, scary or unromantic unromantic visions of war.visions of war.

PropagandaPropaganda

Positive or Positive or negative?negative?

GermanyGermany

One People,One People, One Nation,One Nation, One Leader!One Leader!

England England

Soviet Soviet UnionUnion

Motherland Motherland is Calling is Calling

You!You!

JapanJapan

ItalyItaly

The Fault Falls The Fault Falls on Them!on Them!

The The “golden “golden age” of age” of comics comics

Reflection of Reflection of racist racist

stereotypesstereotypes

Propaganda Propaganda for kids??for kids??

Airplane Airplane spotters spotters (Georgetown)(Georgetown)

Effects of WWII – African Effects of WWII – African AmericansAmericans

Migration from South Migration from South to Northto North New job opportunitiesNew job opportunities Same discrimination Same discrimination

and segregationand segregation not as blatant as in the not as blatant as in the

SouthSouth

1942 – Congress of 1942 – Congress of Racial Equality Racial Equality (CORE)(CORE) Founded to fight racial Founded to fight racial

discriminationdiscrimination

Effects of WWII – Mexican & Native Effects of WWII – Mexican & Native AmericansAmericans

Native AmericansMoved to cities for

war production jobs New experience

Mexican AmericansNew jobs in shipbuilding & aircraftGovt encouraged Mexicans to come to the US

Farm worker shortage

Japanese-Japanese-AmericansAmericans

Issei = Japanese who Issei = Japanese who emigrated to Americaemigrated to America

Nisei = Their children, Nisei = Their children, born in the United States born in the United States

and U.S. citizens.and U.S. citizens.

Japanese AmericansJapanese AmericansAt the onset of WWII there At the onset of WWII there

were about 120,000 were about 120,000 Japanese Americans living in Japanese Americans living in the United Statesthe United States

Most of them lived on the Most of them lived on the West CoastWest Coast

2/3rds of those were born in 2/3rds of those were born in the U.S.the U.S.

After Pearl HarborAfter Pearl Harbor Prejudice grew as Prejudice grew as rumorsrumors

flew of Japanese Americans flew of Japanese Americans being being spies and saboteurs spies and saboteurs for Japan for Japan

(Dec. 19, 1941)(Dec. 19, 1941)

The Los Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times

Executive Order 9066Executive Order 9066 February 19, 1942 FDR signed an February 19, 1942 FDR signed an

order to establish military zones order to establish military zones on the West Coast and to remove on the West Coast and to remove all Japanese Americans from thereall Japanese Americans from there

a "military a "military necessity" to necessity" to protect against protect against domestic domestic espionage and espionage and sabotagesabotage

Life in the internment Life in the internment campcamp

““Loyalty Questions”Loyalty Questions” What’s the problem with answering “Yes What’s the problem with answering “Yes

and Yes”?and Yes”? What’s the problem answering “No-No”?What’s the problem answering “No-No”?

Tula LakeTula Lake

Proving loyaltyProving loyalty

composed primarily of composed primarily of Japanese Americans, Japanese Americans, served with uncommon served with uncommon distinction in Europedistinction in Europe

the U.S. soldiers the U.S. soldiers serving in the unit had serving in the unit had their families interned their families interned at home while they at home while they fought abroad.fought abroad.

It is the most decorated It is the most decorated unit in US military unit in US military historyhistory

Its 14,000 men earned Its 14,000 men earned over 18.000 awards over 18.000 awards including 9,486 purple including 9,486 purple hearts and 21 medals of hearts and 21 medals of honorhonor

The 442The 442nd regimentnd regiment

Going homeGoing home

On January 2, 1945, the camps On January 2, 1945, the camps began to close.began to close.

The freed internees were given $25 and a $25 and a train ticket train ticket to their former homes.The majority returned to their former lives, some of the Japanese Americans emigrated to JapanThe last internment camp was not closed until 1946

1988 1988 – Apology– Apology "a grave injustice was done”"a grave injustice was done”

a signed a signed apology apology from the from the

President of President of the United the United

States and a States and a check for check for

$20,000 was $20,000 was sent to each sent to each

living living person who person who had been had been forced to forced to live in an live in an

internment internment camp during camp during

the war.the war.