Post on 28-Dec-2015
The Home Front during WWII- Ch 17
Sec1Mobilizing for
Defense
Ch 17 Sec1- Essential Ques.How did the US expand its
armed forces?How was the mobilization of
industry, labor, scientists, and the media achieved?
What steps did the government take to control the economy and deal with alleged subversion?
MobilizationAfter Pearl Harbor Americans jammed
recruiting offices5 million volunteered for serviceThe Selective Service System was
expanded and another 10 million were drafted (GI’s)
Women’s Army Corps (WAC’s) 350,000 women served as nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, parachute riggers, photographers, mechanics, and clerks (WAVES, WASPS)
Diversity in the Armed Forces300,000 Mexican Americans served25,000 Native Americans Served (Navaho
Code Talkers)1 million African Americans servedAt first blacks were given supporting roles
in segregated units, by 1942 they were given some combat opportunities
The Tuskegee Airman, Dr. Charles DrewBy 1944 some African Americans served in
white combat units33,000 Japanese and 13,000 Chinese served
A Production MiracleThe Ford Motor Company made a new
factory to make B-24 bombersHenry Kaiser used new techniques to
build Liberty ships in 40 days down from 200 days
By 1944 US Production Levels doubled those of the Axis Nations put together
By the middle of 1945 the US produced 300,000 airplanes, 80,000 landing craft, 100,000 tanks, 5,600 merchant ships, 6 million rifles and 41 million rounds
The War Powers ActFDR gained power to reorganize the federal
gov. and create new agenciesOffice of Price Adm. (OPA) Price ControlsNational War Labor Board (NLRB) Halted
Strikes, Negotiated disputes Office of War Mobilization (OWM)
Coordinated all operationsOffice of War Information (OWI) Sell the WarOffice of Scientific Research and
Development – Radar, Sonar, Manhattan Project (atomic bomb)
New WorkersBy 1944 nearly 18 million workers were
laboring in wartime industries ( The female overall workforce reached 19.5 million)
More than 6 million in wartime jobs were women
They were only paid 60% as much as men
Women mined coal, repaired aircraft engines, cut and wielded sheet metal and operated forklifts and drill presses
“Rosie the Riveter” Campaign helped recruitment
Minority WorkersDefense plants hired more than 2 million
minority workersA. Phillip Randolph’s proposed March on
Washington forced FDR to call on employers and labor unions to hire without discrimination for war industries (Created the Fair Employment Practices Commission)
The Bracero Program brought Mexican legally into the US to help in industries ( Ex. Shipbuilding)
200,000 Mexican Americans entered the US legally to harvest crops
War Time Strikes 17million new jobs were created but
economic gains were unevenly distributed Major Unions agreed to no-strike pledges in
exchange for higher wages and pensions Union member ship rose from 10.5 million to
14.7 million members Unions enrolled 1.25 million blacks 1943 – US Rubber Company Factory in
Detroit staged a “Hate Strike” 1943 – United Mine Worker (John L. Lewis)
Minors won, Smith-Connally Act Passed
Financial Costs of WWII WWII cost $1.15 a day for every man,
woman, and child Federal Spending rose from $8.9 billion
in 1939 to $95.2 billion in 1945 The GNP more than doubled From 1941-1945 the Gov. spend $321
billion 10X that of WWI More than all gov. expenditures from
1789 to 1940
Paying for the War The US Government added millions of
taxpayers to the rolls through lowering the minimum tax-exempt income
Raised personal income tax rates Held excess profits from corporations US borrowed the $ from banks, private
investors, and the public War bond sales brought in $186 billion Deficit Spending – The Nat . Debt rose
from $43 billion in 1940 to $259 billion in 1945
Economic ConversionIn January 1942 the government set up the
War Production Board (WPB) to direct the conversion of peacetime industries to the production of war goods
The WPB decided which companies received defense contracts
It set priorities and allocated war materialsIt used the Cost Plus System to allocate
profits to companies“Dollar a year” executives came to
Washington to contribute while staying on their Co. payrolls
Rationing and Nation Wide Drives
The OPA set up a system for rationing through rationing/coupon books
Scare items: meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, gas, butter, and canned fruit
Metal went for guns, rubber for tires, cloth for uniforms, nylons for parachutes
Scrap metal Drives and “Victory Gardens” were publicized
Civilian Defense conducted “Blackouts” USO Clubs entertained departing soldiers
Ch 17 Sec 4- The HomeFront
• What were the economic and social changes that reshaped American Life during the war?
• What economic opportunities and discrimination did African Americans and other minorities experience during the war?
Family Life on the Home front Between 1940- 1943 more than a million
more couples married than if had there been no war
By 1946 divorces skyrocketed Housing Shortage-Federal Gov. build 2
million new homes Juvenile Delinquency increased during the
war By 1944 High School enrollments decreased
by 1.2 million “Back to School Campaign” More books, magazines and baseball 60% of Americans viewed movies per week
The GI Bill To ease entry into Civilian Life and
provide opportunity for serviceman Congress passed in 1944 the GI Bill of Rights ( GI Bill)
It provided education and training for veterans
College Tuition and Low Cost Mortgages
7.8 million veterans attended colleges or technical schools under the GI Bill
Low cost loans for starting businesses
Discrimination and Reaction Between 1940 and 1944 the % of African
Americans working in skilled or semi-skilled jobs rose from 16% to 30%
In 1942 civil rights leader James Farmer founded the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to combat urban segregation
Detroit Race Riot of 1943 – 3 days, 9 whites, and 25 blacks were killed, FDR sent in troops
A. Phillip Randolph’s efforts resulted in the FEPC
“Double V Campaign” started in Pitt. Pa
Zoot Suit Riots 200,000 Mexican Americans were legally
brought to the US to work – Braceros Many Mexican Americans lived in barrios In 1943 Mexican Americans wore “Zoot
Suits” as a symbol of rebellion On June 4th, 11 sailors claimed they were
attacked, mobs violence erupted between servicemen and Zoot Suits, many young Mexican were beaten and jailed unjustly with 700 injured
Japanese Internment After Pearl Harbor many Americans
feared an invasion of the US, and it was thought that the Japanese could be loyal to the enemy (0.1% of US Pop.)
In Feb. 1942 FDR signed Executive Order 9066 in which civil rights were suspended and the army began rounding up Japanese citizens
Japanese on the West Coast were given one week, then they were transported to camps in UT, CO, AK, ID,AZ,WY, and CA. (120,000 people)
Results of Internment Japanese Americans lost homes and
businesses valued at $500 million Korematsu vs the US ( 1944) The Supreme
Court upheld the relocation on the grounds of national security
In 1988 the US Congress gave reparations of $20,000 to each internee and a public apology to each of the 60,000 surviving victims