S2 / Study 4.4.6: Women in War

Why was it unusual at the time for women to do jobs such as building ships, airplanes, and tanks?

Before World War II, such jobs had been held only by men, and at the time it was unusual for women to take on these tasks.

How did women's roles change during and after World War II?

During the war, women took on many jobs and roles that had been reserved for men in the past. On the home front, they worked in factories and war industries and did many other jobs to help the war effort. On the battlefield, they served in medical, technical, and combat-support roles. In the U.S.S.R., some served as combat troops. After the war, most women had to return to more traditional roles, but they then had the proof that they were capable of doing the same work as men. Eventually, there would be a women's movement for equal rights in the workplace.

How were women's roles different in various countries, and why was that the case? Use examples from at least two different countries and give reasons why roles were different.

In the United States, women were less involved in homeland defense activities than in Britain, where women served in more roles that were under direct threat from aerial attack. The Soviet Union allowed women to serve in combat. This may have been because the U.S.S.R. was under direct land assault by Germany and needed all the soldiers it could get to defend itself.

Why do you think the United States and Britain did not allow female soldiers to serve in combat positions?

It was considered unacceptable at that time to put women in danger, and some people did not believe women could be good soldiers.

What was the postwar impact of women taking on new roles during the war?

Once the war ended, old attitudes returned along with the soldiers, and most women had to go back to their former domestic roles. However, women had proved they could do the same work as men, which eventually led to more women in the workforce than ever before.

What is one possible reason the Soviet military had a different attitude about women serving in combat?

One possible reason is necessity. The Soviet Union was under massive assault by Germany and could not afford to exclude from combat anyone capable of fighting. Another possible reason is a different attitude about gender and what women were capable of.

Would the Allied victory in World War II have been possible without the contributions of women, particularly in the labor force? Why or why not? Use specific examples from the activity.

Probably not. Women were vital to war industries such as aircraft manufacturing and shipbuilding. They took on jobs in farming and manufacturing medicine. Without their labor, it would have been hard to keep the Allied forces supplied with everything they needed. They also played important roles on the battlefields.

What challenges did women face in taking on their new roles?

Women faced prejudice, especially because of the idea that they could not do the same jobs as men, or do the jobs as well as men could. Many also had to learn tasks and master skills that were completely new to them.