■Essential QuestionEssential Question:

–How did the U.S. mobilize civilians at home to help win World War 2 & what impact did this have on American society?

Mobilizing an “Arsenal of Democracy”

The Home Front■WW2 impacted all aspects of

American life:–FDR hoped the U.S. would be

the great “arsenal of democracy” –The boost of wartime industry

ended the Great Depression–The war altered the lives of

women, African-Americans, Japanese-Americans, & Mexican-Americans

Mobilization■To win wars in Asia & Europe &

meet civilian demands, the U.S. gov’t grew to its largest size ever:

–The War Powers ActWar Powers Act gave the president unprecedented power

–New bureaucracies were formed to direct the economy, create propaganda, sell war bonds, & prevent enemy subversion

The power to create new gov’t agencies The power to create new gov’t agencies

to censor the pressto censor the press

to limit civil liberties & seize personal propertyto limit civil liberties &

seize personal property

The Office of War Mobilization coordinated

the draft, consumer prices, & the labor force

The Office of War Mobilization coordinated

the draft, consumer prices, & the labor force

The Office of War Information directed press, print, radio, &

film propaganda

The Office of War Information directed press, print, radio, &

film propaganda

The Office of Strategic Services gathered enemy intelligence & conducted espionageThe Office of Strategic Services gathered

enemy intelligence & conducted espionage

This is 2x as much as all previous gov’t spending combined

This is 2x as much as all previous gov’t spending combined

The U.S. gov’t spent $250 million per day from 1941 to 1945

The U.S. gov’t spent $250 million per day from 1941 to 1945

MobilizationMobilization: The Demand for War Equipment & Soldiers

The U.S. Government ■ Financing increased government spending:

• Bonds

• Higher taxes paid for 41% of war

■ Result: deficit spending and increase of national debt ($43 billion in 1940 to $259 billion in 1945)

War bonds helped raise $187 billion to support

the war effort

Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy a Bond:Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy a Bond:It Will Lead to VICTORY!It Will Lead to VICTORY!

Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy a Bond:Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy a Bond:It Will Lead to VICTORY!It Will Lead to VICTORY!

Consumers ■ War production stimulated the

economy & created new jobs:– Business & farm profits doubled– Wages rose & people wanted to buy, but wartime

production led to shortages of consumer goods– Office of Price Administration fixed prices &

distributed ration books to save gas, meat, butter– Americans recycled & planted victory gardens for

the war effort

Wartime Ration Books

Victory GardensVictory Gardens: Grow Your OwnVictory GardensVictory Gardens: Grow Your Own

Example of support for war effort. Everyone was involved in

supporting war.

Example of support for war effort. Everyone was involved in

supporting war.

Wartime production led to shortages on consumer goods

WWII propaganda: was directed by the Office of War Information

PropagandaPropaganda: Fighting the Enemy on the Battlefield & on the Home Front

Fear Propaganda

Hollywood Pitches In

Jimmy Stewart goes off to war

60% of America went to the movies weekly

60% of America went to the movies weekly

The U.S. Government Production■ 1943: FDR created Office of War Mobilization led by

James F. Byrnes to coordinate agencies regulating production

■ War Production Board (1942) directed factories to produce war supplies so that the Allies could out produce the Axis Powers

■ Govt told companies to stop producing consumer goods (converting heavy industry) and allocated scarce resources to war materials

The Wartime Economy■The most decisive factor for Allied

victory was America’s ability to outproduce both Germany & Japan

■15 million U.S. soldiers fought but 60 million workers & farmers supplied them with supplies

U.S. made 2x more goods than Germany & 5x more than JapanU.S. made 2x more goods than Germany & 5x more than Japan

Ford’s Willow Run Factory Ford made one B-24 bomber every hourFord made one B-24 bomber every hour

Henry Kaiser’s West Coast ShipyardsThe Allies won the Battle of the Atlantic, in part,

because the USA produced ships faster than German u-boats could sink them

The Allies won the Battle of the Atlantic, in part, because the USA produced ships faster than

German u-boats could sink them

Kaiser standardized battleship building & reduced the time it took to make a battleship from 355

days to 14 days

Kaiser standardized battleship building & reduced the time it took to make a battleship from 355

days to 14 days

GIs

■ When the USA declared war, the military needed soldiers to fight a two-front war in Europe & Asia:

– 6 million men volunteered

– 10 million more were drafted

– Everything soldiers were given was “government issue” so WWII soldiers became known as “GIs”

– Homesickness among soldiers was common

Preparing for a jump into Nazi-occupied France

Marines at Iwo Jima

GIs missed the freedoms of “home”

GIs with movie star Marlene DietrichGIs with movie star Marlene Dietrich

■Essential QuestionEssential Question:

–How did the U.S. mobilize civilians at home to help win World War 2 & what impact did this have on American society?

WW2 Changed American Society

Regional Changes■The war effort transformed the

Western & Southern U.S.:–California became the major

center for industry to support the war effort in the Pacific

–60 of the 100 new military based were built in the South

–Southern textile factories & industrial jobs helped end sharecropping & tenant farming

9 million defense workers moved to new factories & shipyards in South & West

9 million defense workers moved to new factories & shipyards in South & West

Women■ The war presented new economic

opportunities for women:

– 350,000 volunteered to serve in army– Dramatic rise in employment (14 million to

19 million by 1945)

– Most new female workers were married, many middle-aged

– Clerical work but also entered “exclusively male” fields

– Temporarily redefined “woman’s sphere” from “just at home”

“To hell with the life I have had. This war is too [serious], and it is

too [important] to win it.”

“To hell with the life I have had. This war is too [serious], and it is

too [important] to win it.”

““Rosie, the Riveter”Rosie, the Riveter”““Rosie, the Riveter”Rosie, the Riveter”

S..t..r..e..t..c..h That Food!S..t..r..e..t..c..h That Food!S..t..r..e..t..c..h That Food!S..t..r..e..t..c..h That Food!

Women’s Army Air Women’s Army Air Corps PilotsCorps Pilots

Women’s Army Air Women’s Army Air Corps PilotsCorps Pilots

Join the Women’s Join the Women’s Army Corps Army Corps

(WACs)(WACs)

Join the Women’s Join the Women’s Army Corps Army Corps

(WACs)(WACs)

Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES)

Women served as military nurses & photographers

Families■ After the war, women were forced out of high-

paying factory jobs■ The uncertainties of war & economic

affluence of the 1940s led to a dramatic rise in marriage

■ The influx of women into the workforce led to a new demand for daycare centers & to an increase in child delinquency

■ Public health improved as more families had access to doctors, dentists, & prescription drugs

…and high divorce rates …and high divorce rates

African Americans

■ During WWII, African Americans fought in the military & at home:

– 1 million blacks served in U.S. military but not all saw combat Discrimination in military and defense industry

– The war led to factory jobs & increased the Great Migration of blacks in the North & west coast

• The led to racial tension and it became a national issue

Randolph led the “Double V” campaign: victory at home & abroad

A. Philip Randolph threatened a “March on Washington” to protest the war time

discrimination not hiring African Americans in defense industries.

A. Philip Randolph threatened a “March on Washington” to protest the war time

discrimination not hiring African Americans in defense industries.

Other groups, like the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), staged sit-ins in restaurants in major

cities to protest discrimination. (Chicago)

Other groups, like the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), staged sit-ins in restaurants in major

cities to protest discrimination. (Chicago)

African Americans

■ As a result of the pressure, FDR took small steps:

1. Executive Order 8802 opened jobs and training programs in defense industries without discrimination

2. Fair Employment Practices Commission was created to handle complaints about discrimination as well as to establish for equal pay for black workers.

African Americans

■ HOWEVER…

– More than 1 million black soldiers served in segregated units under the command of white officers

– Unlike WWI, black soldiers were allowed to fight; the “Tuskegee airmen” in the U.S. military were recognized for heroism & bravery

Segregated units…againSegregated units…againSegregated units…againSegregated units…again

Tuskegee Airmen

Tuskegee Airmen

Mexican Americans

• Faced significant discrimination

• U.S. created Bracero Program with Mexican government: Bring Mexican laborers to U.S. to help fill shortage of farm laborers

• The increase in Mexican American population led to racial tension in the SW, like the Zoot Suit Riots in LA

• In general, 250,000-500,000 Hispanic Americans fought during WWII

Mexican-Americans ■Mexican-Americans:Mexican-Americans:

–Served in quasi-segregated military units, often in the most hazardous branches

–Mexican-American workers found jobs in SW agriculture & west coast industry

–Faced discrimination, especially during the Zoot Suit Riots

“Zoot Suit” Riot in Los Angeles

Japanese-Americans■Due to Pearl Harbor, many in the

U.S. feared Japanese-Americans were helping prepare for a Japanese invasion in the West

■Civil liberties were restricted:–Issei had their assets frozen–Used racial stereotypes (“Japs”)–In 1942, FDR ordered 112,000

Japanese-Americans moved to internment camps

Japanese who were not American citizens living in the U.S.

Japanese who were not American citizens living in the U.S.

Japanese-Americans■ Due to Pearl Harbor, many in the U.S. feared

Japanese-Americans were helping prepare for a Japanese invasion in the West

■ Civil liberties were restricted:– Issei had their assets frozen– Used racial stereotypes (“Japs”)

– In 1942, FDR issued Executive Order 9066 which ordered 112,000 Japanese-Americans to move to internment camps

– Korematsu vs. U.S.: Supreme Court ruled that internment was Constitutional.

Japanese who were not American citizens living in the U.S.

Japanese who were not American citizens living in the U.S.

Executive Order 9066 forced Japanese Americans into internment camps

Japanese- American Internment

Camps

Families were given one week to close their businesses & homes

The all Japanese-American 442nd Division fought in Europe & received over 1,000

citations for bravery

Japanese Americans were allowed to return home in 1945, many had lost

everything.Government gave some repayment to

survivors in 1988 and officially apologized.

Win-the-War Politics■In 1944, FDR used the war to

strengthen his leadership:–“Mr. New Deal” had shifted to

“Mr. Win the War”–Opponent Thomas Dewey made

communism & FDR’s health the focus of the election

–FDR switched VPs from liberal Henry Wallace to moderate Harry Truman to gain appeal