Essential QuestionEssential Question::•How did the U.S. mobilize How did the U.S. mobilize

civilians at home to help win civilians at home to help win World War 2 & what impact did World War 2 & what impact did this have on American society?this have on American society?

Warm-Up QuestionWarm-Up Question::•What other major American war What other major American war

is most similar in its is most similar in its resemblance to the U.S. resemblance to the U.S. entrance into WW2?entrance into WW2?

Mobilizing an Mobilizing an “Arsenal of “Arsenal of

Democracy”Democracy”

The Home FrontThe Home Front

WW2 impacted all aspects of WW2 impacted all aspects of American life:American life:• FDR hoped the U.S. would be the great FDR hoped the U.S. would be the great

“arsenal of democracy” “arsenal of democracy” • The boost of wartime industry ended the The boost of wartime industry ended the

Great DepressionGreat Depression• The war altered the lives of women, The war altered the lives of women,

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

MobilizationMobilization To win wars in Asia & Europe & meet To win wars in Asia & Europe & meet

civilian demands, the U.S. gov’t grew civilian demands, the U.S. gov’t grew to its largest size ever:to its largest size ever:• The The War Powers ActWar Powers Act gave the president gave the president

unprecedented powerunprecedented power• New bureaucracies were formed to New bureaucracies were formed to

direct the economy, create propaganda, direct the economy, create propaganda, sell war bonds, & prevent enemy sell war bonds, & prevent enemy subversion subversion

The power to create new gov’t agencies

to censor the press

to limit civil liberties & seize personal property

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 Strategic Services gathered enemy intelligence & conducted espionage

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

MobilizationMobilization: The Demand for War : The Demand for War Equipment & SoldiersEquipment & Soldiers

War bonds War bonds helped helped

raise $187 raise $187 billion to billion to

support the support the war effortwar 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!

War RationsWar Rations

Victory GardensVictory Gardens: Grow Your Own: Grow Your Own

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

Fear PropagandaFear Propaganda

Hollywood Pitches InHollywood Pitches In

Jimmy Stewart goes off to war

The Wartime EconomyThe Wartime Economy

The most decisive factor for Allied The most decisive factor for Allied victory was America’s ability to victory was America’s ability to outproduceoutproduce bothboth GermanyGermany && JapanJapan• Heavy industry was converted to war & Heavy industry was converted to war &

was directed by the was directed by the War Production War Production Board (WPB)Board (WPB)

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

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

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

Henry Kaiser’s West Coast ShipyardsHenry 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

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

from 355 days to 14 days

Essential QuestionEssential Question::•How did the U.S. mobilize How did the U.S. mobilize

civilians at home to help win civilians at home to help win World War 2 & what impact did World War 2 & what impact did this have on American society?this have on American society?

WW2 Changed WW2 Changed American SocietyAmerican Society

Regional ChangesRegional Changes

The war effort transformed the The war effort transformed the Western & Southern U.S.:Western & Southern U.S.:• California became the major center for California became the major center for

industry to support the war effort in the industry to support the war effort in the Pacific Pacific

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

• Southern textile factories & industrial Southern textile factories & industrial jobs helped end sharecropping & tenant jobs helped end sharecropping & tenant farmingfarming

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

WomenWomen

The war presented new economic The war presented new economic opportunities for women:opportunities for women:• Dramatic rise in employment (14 Dramatic rise in employment (14

million to 19 million by 1945)million to 19 million by 1945)• Most new female workers were married, Most new female workers were married,

many middle-agedmany middle-aged• Entered “exclusively male” fieldsEntered “exclusively male” fields• Temporarily redefined “woman’s sphere” Temporarily redefined “woman’s sphere”

from “just at home”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.”

““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)

FamiliesFamilies The uncertainties of war & economic The uncertainties of war & economic

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

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

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

…and high divorce rates

African-AmericansAfrican-Americans 1 million blacks served in U.S. 1 million blacks served in U.S.

military but few saw combatmilitary but few saw combat Discrimination in the workforce led A. Discrimination in the workforce led A.

Philip Randolph to pressure FDR to Philip Randolph to pressure FDR to create a create a Fair Employment Practices Fair Employment Practices CommitteeCommittee

Continued black migration into the Continued black migration into the North & West made race relations a North & West made race relations a national issue national issue

Banned discrimination in defense industries & gov’t

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

Tuskegee Airmen

Double V: Victory at Home & AbroadDouble V: Victory at Home & Abroad

A. Philip Randolph threatened a “March on Washington” to

protest war time discrimination

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

in major cities to protest discrimination

Mexican-AmericansMexican-Americans Mexican-Americans:Mexican-Americans:

• Served in quasi-segregated military Served in quasi-segregated military units, often in the most hazardous units, often in the most hazardous branchesbranches

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

• Faced discrimination, especially during Faced discrimination, especially during the Zoot Suit Riots the Zoot Suit Riots

““Zoot Suit” Riot in Los AngelesZoot Suit” Riot in Los Angeles

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

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

Civil liberties were restricted:Civil liberties were restricted:• IsseiIssei had their assets frozen had their assets frozen• Used racial stereotypes (“Japs”)Used racial stereotypes (“Japs”)• In 1942, FDR ordered 112,000 Japanese-In 1942, FDR ordered 112,000 Japanese-

Americans moved to internment camps Americans moved to internment camps

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

JapaneseJapanese- -

American American InternmeInternment Campsnt 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

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

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

Win the War”Win the War”• Opponent Thomas Dewey made Opponent Thomas Dewey made

communism & FDR’s health the focus of communism & FDR’s health the focus of the electionthe election

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