The Home Front and the Aftermath of the Warch.11 section 4

THE MOBILIZATION OF PEOPLES

WWII was a total war The bombing of civilians made the home front

more dangerous Impact on civilians was much higher than other

wars More women working More civilians killed (20 million)

Many civilians who were killed were children

THE SOVIET UNION

Widespread industrial mobilization of the nation “battle of machines” Emphasis on military goods caused food and housing

shortages Women were used both in industry and fighting

Leningrad- 900 days of siege. Inhabitants got so desperate for food that they ate dogs,

cats and mice. 1.5 million people died in the city

THE UNITED STATES

The US was not fighting in its own territory Became the arsenal for the allies

Built 6 ships a day and 96,000 airplanes a year Widespread migration- men and women moving

to join the military or to work in new factories Over 1 million African Americans moved out of the

South for industrial jobs Increased racial tensions and led to riots

Japanese Americans were put in internment camps

110,000 put in camps, 65% of whom were US born

GERMANY

Hitler refused to mobilize economy at the start of the war

Began increasing armament production in 1942 Mobilized too late to save Germany

Views towards women changed over the course of the war

Worked to keep women out of jobs before Women began to be welcomed in the workplace slowly

Numbers still increased only very slightly

JAPAN

Highly mobilized society Planning board controlled prices, wages, labor and

resources Kamikaze (“divine wind”)- suicide pilots Japan did not want to mobilize women

General Hideki Tojo believed weakening the family system would weaken the country

Brought in Korean and Chinese laborers to help with labor shortages