Women in the Work Force during World War IIBackground:Women have always worked outside the home but never before in the numbers or with the same impact as they did in World War II. Prior to the war, most of the women that did work were from the lower working classes and many of these were minorities. There were a variety of attitudes towards women in the work force. Some thought they should only have jobs that men didn’t want while others felt women should give up their jobs so unemployed men could have a job, especially during the Great Depression. Still others held the view that women from the middle class or above should never lower themselves to go to work. These and other viewpoints would be challenged with the United States’ entry into World War II. Show
With men off to fight a worldwide war across the Atlantic and the Pacific, women were called to take their place on the production line. The War Manpower Commission, a Federal Agency established to increase the manufacture of war materials, had the task of recruiting women into employment vital to the war effort. Men’s attitude towards women in the work force was one challenge to overcome but, surprisingly, women’s own ideas about work outside the home had to change as well. Two of the primary sources below deal with arguments to challenge these attitudes. A number of cities across the nation had a positive economic effect because of the demand for manufactured war materials. In Alabama no city felt a greater impact than did Mobile. An estimated ninety-thousand workers swarmed into the city to work in the local war factories, especially in one of the two shipyards (Gulf Shipbuilding and Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding) or in the ALCOA factory. The ALCOA plant alone would produce 34% of the nation’s aluminum, a metal necessary for the production of airplanes. Men still worked at these plants, but without the women, these plants would have never been as productive or as successful as they ultimately were. After the war, most women returned home, let go from their jobs. Their jobs, again, belonged to men. However, there were lasting effects. Women had proven that they could do the job and within a few decades, women in the workforce became a common sight. An immediate effect is often overlooked. These women had saved much of their wages since there was little to buy during the war. It was this money that helped serve as a down payment for a new home and helped launch the prosperity of the 1950s. Documents:Classroom Comments:Many of the attitudes about women in the workforce in the 1940s were quite different than they are today. Have students consider the following:
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Aug. 14, 2020 | , DOD News World War II involved combatants from most of the world’s nations and was considered the deadliest war in history. Around 85 million military and civilians died as a result. The
end finally came on Sept. 2, 1945, when Japanese officials signed the surrender documents aboard the battleship USS Missouri at Tokyo Bay, Japan. Significant Events of World War IISept. 1, 1939: April 9 to June 22, 1940: July 10, 1940: Sept. 22, 1940: Dec.
7, 1941: Dec. 8, 1941: Dec. 11, 1941: June 4 to 7, 1942: July 9, 1942: Sept. 8, 1943: June 6, 1944: Aug. 25,
1944: Dec. 16, 1944: Feb. 19, 1945: March 22, 1945: April 1, 1945: April 25, 1945: Aug. 6, 1945: Aug. 9,
1945: Choose which Defense.gov products you want delivered to your inbox. Related StoriesWhat impact did WW2 have on the world?World War II was, arguably, the most significant and influential event of the twentieth century. The devastation is almost incalculable: total military and civilian deaths are estimated at 70 to 85 million, about 3% of the global population during that time. World War II also saw the dawn of the nuclear age.
What was the immediate impact of the end of World War II quizlet?-Immediate: Europe and Japan lay in ruins, Cold War, America becomes a superpower, Soviet Union took over Eastern Europe. -Long term: European colonies became independent, US government guides American economy.
What were the results of World War 2 quizlet?Over 12 million people were murdered; 6 million of them were Jewish. Germany and Italy were invaded and defeated by the Allies. In August 1945, the US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, forcing its surrender. After WWII the US and the Soviet Union Emerged as superpowers and as rivals.
What impact did World War II have on the American economy quizlet?In 1939 9,500,000 people were unemployed, in 1944 there were only 670,000! General Motors also helped unemployment as they took on 750,000 workers. The USA was the only country to become economically stronger because of WW2. Over 500,000 business were also set up $129,000,000 worth of bonds were sold.
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