Women's Roles During World War II

Role before the War

"A women's place in the home". Left college incomplere because they found a husband. Domestic life was child rearing. Men go off to work, while women stay home.

Women's Army Corp (WAC)

100,000 women joined. Activity fighting didn't involve American women, but other foreign women. Using the slogan "free a man for the front line". They worked in mostly support roles as clerical, mechanics, cooks, and secretaries.

1940-1945 how many women enter the workforce?

5 million

Army Nurse Corp

60,000+ nurses served. Condensed and concise training. Less than 4% of soldiers who received medical care died from wounds or disease.

The military was very segregated...

Black women weren't allowed until 1944. Blacks were mostly volunteers. Black nurses were only allowed to end to black soldiers.

After the War...

By the end of the war 19.5 million female workers. New found freedom was taken away as men returned from war. Women were encouraged to "return to the home and back to the family". Women had worked previously - main difference about wartime employment. Skilled labor, high paying, and unionized work.

"Total War"

Effects all aspects of life and society. Factories made goods for the war instead of household products. War bonds sold. Controlled and rationed food. Propaganda was shown.

Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs)

Flew planes from factories to military base, also known as spies and secret operations. 350,000 women served in the armed forces in total during WWII.

War bonds sold

Giving money to the war effort. After the war is over you would get your money back with interest.

Controlled and Rationed food

Government made a schedule on when to eat or not eat. "No meat Monday". "Only buy two pairs of shoes a year".

Propaganda

It was advertisement that was Patriotic and anything the government wanted you to see.

The only thing not rationed during the war...

Makeup wasn't rationed, because men (who stayed in US) were worried that women would look more like men when joining the men work force.

Women earn 65% of the salary a man would get...

Making less then a man, but still more than they had been making

Changing Roles

Men enlisted by the millions and jobs were left without workers, so women joined the work force. Women take over traditionally male roles, leads to a drastic change to gender roles. Work on farms and in factories.

Factories made goods for war instead of household...

Production increase = end depression. Spending less money non consumers. Still working but switching the products, using the factories for different purpose.

WAVES

Women accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service - Women's branch of the US Navy created in July 1942. 86,000 enlisted by July 1945.

SPARS

Women's branch of the US coast guard created in 1942