Warm-up:

The Home Front WWII

America Joins the Struggle In 1941, FDR and Winston Churchill met in secret and drafted the Atlantic Charter The U.S. entered the war at a critical time for the Allies; production levels of other Allies had dropped sharply Factories converted from consumer goods to war production ( guns & butter) Dozens of agencies established to deal with war production: Office of War Mobilization War Production Board

President Roosevelt knew he needed to strengthen military Congress passed first peacetime draft- Selective Training and Service Act--all males 21 -36 had to register Americans from all ethnic and racial backgrounds fought About 350,000 American women volunteered 16 million served-”GI’s” (National Archives)

Financing the War U.S. govt. vowed to spend whatever was necessary on the war Federal spending increased from $8.9 billion in 1939 to $95.2 billion in 1945 Raised income taxes covered 41%; borrowed rest Boosted national debt from $43 billion in 1940 to $269 billion in 1945 (deficit spending) Launched bond drives

The U.S. Homefront Wartime jobs gave many people the first extra cash since the depression Supply often fell short of demand; rationing occurred; the OPA controlled inflation by limiting prices and rents Americans looked for other ways to spend money: bought and read more books and magazines; went to baseball games and movies Government encouraged citizens to participate in war effort

Rationing

Getting Citizens Involved It was important to have the citizens at home feel like they were doing their part during the war. Propaganda encouraged citizen support.

Social Impact of WWII Women left the home and worked in industry Became welders and steel workers and did other jobs typically only men’s jobs Changed the family dynamic with moms working outside the home Everyone pitched in for the war effort Popular culture/society was very patriotic with very high morale

Social Impact of WWII African Americans Mexican Americans In 1941, 1 in 5 were jobless President signed Executive Order 8802 which opened jobs and job training programs in defense plants “without discrimination because race, creed, color, or national origin” More that 2 million migrated north Fought in military in segregated units Mexican Americans Served in military, contributed to economy, but face discrimination Agreement between Mexico & U.S. providing for transportation, food, shelter, and medical attention for thousands of “braceros” Brought a rise in Latino population in southern California Zoot Suit Riots

Native Americans Japanese Americans 25,000 fought in the military Migrated to urban centers for defense jobs Cultural transition brought a sense of having lost their roots Played an important role as “code talkers” in the Pacific theater Japanese Americans Hostility towards Japanese Americans grew to hatred and hysteria after Pearl Harbor War Relocation Authority removed all people of Japanese ancestry to internment camps away from west coast After 1943, Japanese were accepted into armed forces and many won recognition for their courage in Europe

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