World War II Home Front

1941-1945

An end to neutralityPearl Harbor brought an abrupt end to American isolationism

in December 1941FDR had already been readying the nation for warMany US industries already producing war goodsFDR encouraged an “arsenal for democracy”1940 FDR had increased size of the navyCongress passes War Powers ActGave FDR unprecedented control over the nationFDR creates:War production Board (WPB)National War Labor Board (NWLB)Office of Price Administration (OPA)Office of War Mobilization (OWM)Late 1942 1/3 economy committed to war production

Economic recoveryUS becomes the world’s largest manufacture of armaments

300,000 planes2.6 million machine guns6 million tons of bombs91,000 cargo/war ships

WWII will lead the US out of the Great DepressionUS government spends 250 million a day (320 billion)

Keynesian economics17 million jobs createdCorporate profits up 70%Real industrial wages up 50%

Closing gap between rich and poorUnprecedented prosperity for most Americans

Public sacrificeShortages of goods created inflation

Rationing of goods commonVoluntary & Gov. supervisedIncreased wages lead to a high percentage of savings

FDR’s Revenue Act raised taxes for most AmericansPropaganda tied sacrifice directly to the war effort

Pushed voluntary conservation measuresEncouraged enlistmentPromoted bond sales

To manage propaganda, FDR creates Office of War Information (OWI)Emphasized a good vs evil strugglePromoted total destruction of the enemyVillainized the enemy (particularly the Japanese)

Changing roles of womenWorking women were a social stigma during the Great

Depression (took jobs from men)Federal government urged women into war production

Allowed men to serve in the militaryMore than 1/3 of labor forceMany women held nontraditional jobs breaking gender stereotypes

Gov. allowed gender discrimination in many industriesWomen made 65% of man’s salaryMothers were derided for taking jobs

Blamed for abandoning childrenWomen filled a number of non-combat roles (over 300k enlist)War had a lasting impact on impression of women in society

Minority groups during the warAfrican Americans

Major push to fight discriminationNAACP membership grewCampaigned for anti-lynching laws and against poll taxesCongress of Racial Equality (CORE) founded in 1942Were discriminated against in war industriesA. Philiip Randolph threatened a march on WashingtonLed FDR to issue Executive Order 8802Creates the Fair Employment Practices CommissionProtests led to minimal gainsServed in segregated military unitsMany units served with distinctionViolent race riots occurred across the country

Minority groups during the warNative Americans

Many Native Americans attempt to leave reservationsFind discriminationLed to formation of National Congress of

American IndiansA few joined the military, (Navajo Code Talkers)

LatinosBracero program

Initially imported “foreign laborers” into the USMany stayed behind rather than return

Encouraged future illegal immigrationZoot suit riots (Summer 1943)

All minority groups volunteered/commended for military service in numbers disproportionate to pop

Minority groups during the warJapanese Americans

100k First and Second generation Japanese Americans were placed in concentration camps

Rooted in anti Japanese propagandaJapanese were labeled a security risk on the

West Coast (Not in Hawaii)FDR issued Executive Order 9066

Forced to sell propertyHeld for duration of warFreed after pledging loyalty to the US

Supreme Court validated FDR’s authority Korematsu v. US

Limited number served in military (442nd)