Mobilizing for Defense

Americans Join the War Effort Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor – Dec. 7, 1941 “Day that will live in infamy!” Japan thought that America would shrink from further conflict Japan Times boasted “United States, now reduced to a third-rate power was ‘trembling in her shoes’” Americans united behind “Remember Pearl Harbor”

Americans Join the War Effort The Selective Service Act expanded the draft to fight on two global fronts – Europe and Pacific 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 soldiers – 8 week basic training George Marshall (Army chief of staff) formed the WAAC WAAC – Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps Women volunteered in non-combat positions

Recruiting and Discrimination Minority Groups – African Americans, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans – questioned whether this war was their war to fight “Why die for democracy for some foreign country when we don’t even have it here?” Minority soldiers will be treated VERY differently in Europe than here in the US  Growth of Civil Rights Mvmt. Mexican Americans = 300,000 soldiers African Americans = 1,000,000 soldiers Asian Americans = 13,000 Chinese Americans 33,000 Japanese Americans Native Americans = 25,000 soldiers / 800 women

A Production Miracle February 1942 – end of automobile production for private use Automobile plants produced: 1. Tanks 2. Planes 3. Boats 4. Command cars Across the nation, factories converted to war production: Mechanical pencils plant – made bomb parts Bedspread manufacturer – made mosquito netting Soft drink company – filled shells with explosives They did this with dizzying speed End of 1942 – Hull 440, a Liberty ship – Built in 4 DAYS! Industrial employment increased by three times since 1941 Women and minorities took the majority of these jobs

Mobilization of Scientists 1941 – Roosevelt created the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) 1. Improvements in sonar and radar 2. New technologies for locating submarines underwater 3. Encouraged the use of pesticides like DDT (no lice) 4. Secret development of the atomic bomb Early research on the atomic bomb was done at Columbia University in Manhattan = code name Manhattan Project

The Federal Government Takes Control Economic Controls: Fewer consumer goods produced = prices increase Roosevelt created the Office of Price Administration (OPA) Fought inflation by freezing prices on most goods Congress raised income tax rates Extended the tax to millions who had never paid it – higher taxes reduced spending; workers had less to spend Americans encouraged to buy war bonds

The Federal Government Takes Control War Production Board (WPB) Decided which companies would convert from peacetime to wartime production and allocated raw materials to key industries Organized nationwide drives to collect scrap iron, tin cans, paper, rags, and cooking fat for recycling into war goods Rationing Established fixed allotments of goods deemed essential for the military – ration books Meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, gasoline Most Americans accepted rationing as their personal contribution to the war

Disney and WWII Donald Duck in Nutzi Land: Commando Duck: Thrifty Pig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L90smU0SOcQ Commando Duck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWAf3dQxAfQ Thrifty Pig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8fjvfmnMqc