WW II During & After

The American People

V-J Day• August 14th 1945• Japan’s government

unconditionally surrenders to the USA and it’s allies.

• Parades on the home front.

• Large sense of nationalism.

• Japanese Americans in internment camps were set free in California.

Executive Order 9066 Issued February 19, 1942 Forced Japanese into “internment camps”

Allowed the US Military to declare parts of the USA as “military zones” baring “Foreign Enemy Ancestry”

Lead to over 120,000 Japanese Americans being held in “internment camps” for up to 4 years.

Focused on the Issei—Japanese Immigrants (1st Generations) Nisei---American Born Japanese (2nd Generation)Sansei---Japanese (3rd Generations Japanese Americans)

Executive Order 9066 These Internment Camps were the USA version of

Concentration Camps (minus the gas chambers)People were given less than 48 hours notice. Were told only to bring what they could carry.Given an allegiance questionnaire to determine which

camp they would be “kept” Also relocated were Italians and Germans (but not as widely)

War’s Social and Economical Impact

• During WWII the USA saw their economy soar.– Producing war supplies for the USA and it’s allies

was very profitable.• People moved to cities to work in factories.• Jobs paid well.• Women, African-Americans, and Hispanic-

Americans worked as well and gained some economic freedom/stability.

Military deployment breeds Social Change

• Approximately 16 million men and 250,000 women served in the US military during WW II

• Most of these people were stationed in the USA but in different parts.

• YouTube - Forrest Gump (part 6)• Often after the war these people who were

stationed in other areas in the USA stayed there.• These mixing of various cultures caused people to

adopt certain customs/social patterns.

Wartime Population Shifts

• People moved from rural areas to cities. (jobs)• Sunbelt grew as well. (Florida Carolinas etc.)• Many people relocated because of the war

effort and eventually stayed in their new areas after the war.

Wartime Prosperity• Because of such

economic/industrial expansion many areas also had advances.

• Health Care for working people became common.

• Dental care vastly improved.• Birth rates rose, death rates

declined. Lifespan extended.• Average incomes rose. (We

became a middle class nation)

Before WW II

After WW II

Office of Economic Stabilization

• Started in 1943.• Headed by James F. Byrnes.• Helped organize the wartime efforts from an

economic standpoint (successful) ----Helped organize the government contracts for war supplies.

• Real GDP grew by 25% Economy was booming! (we haven’t been as good since)

Good and Bad

• With the government issuing large contracts for war supplies they needed money.

• RAISE TAXES:– Revenue Acts 1942-1943. (Created the modern income

tax) This generated an additional $40 Billion• Other revenue came from War Bonds (Peddled by

movie stars/celebrities)• YouTube - Bette Davis promoting the sale of war bo

nds• YouTube - Bugs Bunny War Bond Drive WW2 Carto

on

Good and Bad

• The depression of the 20’s and 30’s was eliminated.

• Jobs were plentiful and wartime economic expansion was fueled by government spending and mass conscription.– Conscription: The military draft.

• Farmers and industrial workers saw increases in production (up to 20% increase)

Good and Bad

• Because businesses were booming and laborers were employed congress enacted the War Labor Board.

• War Labor Board (1942)– Set guidelines for wages, hours, and unions.– For the most part during war times labor unions

remained cooperative and didn’t strike much.

Good and Bad

• Because people were making government product there were often shortages in consumer goods. This leads to???????– Inflation: (Too much money chasing too few

goods)• Government then regulated this by putting

price restrictions on many consumer goods. – They also used a ration system issuing coupons for

certain items.

Bad• Roosevelt created the Office of Price

Administration: Their job was to regulate prices/rations etc.

• This outraged citizens. • Gas/Beef rationing was the worst. – Gas was so scarce people bought it on the

black markets.– Speed limits were set at 35mph to save gas. – Service stations closed, people often had to walk

because a lack of gas. – Motorists would line up for miles to get gas.

Bad• Beef rationing also

hurt.• Butchers were often

abused/hurt because their display cases were either empty or they refused to budge on the ration limits.

• Families had the $ to pay. (just no beef)

Women’s Roles

• Prior to war, women were seen as dainty and unsuitable for manufacturing.

• Women were actually utilized during wartime.

• WAC --- Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps

• WAVES—Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.

Women’s Roles

• Because of a shortage of workers, the idea of women working outside the home changed.

• Women worked in factories, drove trucks, worked in munitions stations.

Women’s Roles

• Office of War Information: – Produced propaganda to

encourage women to join the war labor force.

– Slogan became Rosie the Riveter “Do the job HE left behind”

• YouTube - Rosie the Riveters of World War II

Women’s Roles The downside

• While women finally enjoyed working in the labor force, they did have problems.

• Problems:– Unequal pay from males– Sexually harassed by

their male supervisors– Lack of child care

facilities. “Latchkey Children” • Children were often put in

all day long movie theaters.

• Girls turned to prostitution

• Boys were vandals

Women’s Roles The downside

• Women were expected to relinquish their jobs to men when the war ended.

• Many did not want to.• Some were fired.• This started women to

raise their daughters to be less subservient.

• Was the roots to women’s rights.

African-Americans Role• Were segregated.• Often were attacked by

white civilians in the south.

• Had lesser roles in the military

• They had hoped their service would translate into better education and job opportunities after the war. (It didn’t)

• Hoped for a “Double V”– Victory over the axis

powers– Victory over the Jim

Crow Laws

African-Americans Role

• Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC)– Started by Pres.

Roosevelt.– Done to stifle a potential

protest because employers were not hiring black workers to fill war contracts.

– It was symbolic – It was not enforced

• Blacks started to move to industrial cities in the north.– Whites didn’t like this

because they were competing with them for everything.

– They wanted blacks to stay in the south.

Detroit Race Riots 1943• Summer of 1943• Since 1942, Detroit’s

population grew by 350,000 (50,000 black)

• Riot lasted 3 days• Martial Law was declared• 34 people killed (25 black)• Over 600 injured (75%

black)• Over 1800 arrested (86%

black)

African-Americans Role (After the war)

• Felt empowered• Often stayed in the

north or west.• Used their GI bill to

learn a trade• Formed an African-

American middle class.– Lead the later charge

against the Jim Crow Laws

• The roots of the African American Civil Rights movements got their start in WWII and it’s aftermath.

Hispanic-American Contributions

• Over 350,000 joined the military.

• They were given prestigious military positions.

• 11 receive Medal of Honor during WWII

• USA government granted permission to “import” Mexican workers to work the farms. They could cross the border because of labor shortages. – Braceros: (Mexican

laborers during WWII)

Zoot-Suit Riot

• Hispanics formed a type of gang called Pachucos.– Wore Zoot-Suits. →– Sailors would often beat

the Pachucos because of racial/ethnic tension.

– Media supported this.– YouTube - Zoot Suit Riots

Native Americans Contributions

• Code-Talkers:– Spoke in their native

Indian languages which was next to impossible for the Axis powers to decode.

• Left their reservations to help the war effort as well.

• After the war, they wanted reparations for their land taken illegally over 100 years ago.

• USA delayed negotiations and in 1979 settled for $0.47 per acre!!!!

War breeds Big Government

• Because the War effort resulted in such an economic boom the following ideas/concerns were put on hold:– Social Reform– Labor Union – Antitrust challenges

• The Government Grew• War contracts allowed

the government to be centralized (and big)

• War agencies sprang up and the number of government employees tripled!

War breeds Big Government

• Roosevelt used the war to enhance his executive power.

• He appointed 8 liberals to the Supreme Court during his tenure.

• As a result the Supreme Court refused to review cases involving:

– Violations of civil liberties during the war

– Wartime extensions of federal power in economic affairs

– It allowed the FBI to spy on Americans for national security purposes (similar to the Patriot Act)

War breeds Big Government• Citizens began to look at

Washington D.C. for their answers and Local/State governments were viewed as week/pointless.

• Colleges and Universities shifted their attention to wartime research of weapons etc. – Enrollment remained high during

the war– After the war the G.I. Bill kept

enrollment high shifting the trend in our country toward higher education.

Roosevelt Wins his 4th term

• 1944 election Roosevelt had Harry Truman as his VP Candidate. (Who would take over 3 months later)

• Roosevelt easily defeated Thomas Dewey

• (Roosevelt and his camp played upon Dewey’s small physical stature.)

Homeland Prosperity & Luxury

• Because of wartime jobs, people had discretionary income.

• People engaged in pleasure activities such as..

• Reading (new books)– Comic books were very

popular at the time.• Radio (Amos & Andy)• Dancing• Movies

• Spectator sports grew too.– Only problem was men

were usually involved in the service so sport athletes were not available.

• 1943 the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Formed.

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

• Started by Phillip K. Wrigley. (Founder of the cubs and gum)

• Underhand pitching• No stealing• Uniform was a skirt and

top.• Were encouraged to play

hardball on the field but be girly off.

• YouTube - A League of Their Own (1992)

• Femininity was key.– Had to attend charm school

while playing.– Had to learn how to apply

make up (at all times)– Issued a beauty kit.

• League continued even after the war. Hitting it’s peek in 1950, then male baseball returned.

• League disbanded in 1954. (cause there’s no crying in baseball)

• YouTube - no crying in baseball

Hollywood goes to war. (With Government Intervention)

• People went to movies because they had the $.

• Office of War Information– Created 2 sub agencies to

supervise the film industry.1. Bureau of Motion Pictures2. Bureau of Censorship

Bureau of Motion Pictures– Issued the “Government

Information Manual for the Motion Picture”

– “Will this picture help win the war?”

– Show people making sacrifices for victory in a cheerful manor.

Hollywood goes to war.

• War films of the time showed allies as helpful and jolly.

• It also showed many stereotypical images of Japanese and women being weak.

• Often showed the “Hollywood Canteen”– A place for servicemen to

relax, drink, dance see a show, etc

End of WWII

• Looking for a quick end to the war, USA dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6th 1945 killing more than 60,000 people.

• When the Japanese didn’t surrender…..

• The USA dropped another bomb on Nagasaki August 9th

1945 killing an additional 30,000+

•

The Result?

The Cold WarCold War Intro (r4)