Do Your Part New Opportunities Japanese Americans Technology and the war How were African American perceived prior to WWII and how did the perception change after WWII? How does rationing change consumer and manufacturing behavior? What was the opportunity cost for Americans that supported the efforts of the home front during WWII?

Do Your Part Posters and radio commercials urged Americans to “Do Your Part” during the war. Knowing that there was a shortage of tin and aluminum, children organized scrap drives, collecting tin cans and old cooking pots.

Due to millions of soldiers needing to be fed, the government limited the amount of food each person in the US could buy. This is called rationing. The government would give each family ration stamps every month. When you ran out of stamps, you could no longer buy food until next month.

Americans also planted “Victory Gardens” to help increase the amount of food available. People planted gardens in their backyards and on their rooftops.

New Opportunities Before WWII, many factories did not welcome African Americans. However, during the war factories owners needed workers which created jobs for African Americans and women.

Thousands of African Americans left the south for the north and west to find work. They earned more money then ever before, but still less than white men.

Discrimination still existed in the armed forces Discrimination still existed in the armed forces. Black and white soldiers fought in segregated units. Even though African Americans were fighting for freedom around the world, their freedoms were still limited at home.

One unit, the Tuskegee Airmen, were sent into fighting One unit, the Tuskegee Airmen, were sent into fighting. They flew thousands of missions in North Africa and Europe. More than one million African Americans fought during WWII. By the end of the war, some were fighting in integrated units.

Japanese Americans Japanese Americans were suddenly seen as enemies of the US after Pearl Harbor. People feared that they would help Japan attack the US. In 1942, FDR signed an Executive Order which forced all Japanese Americans into relocation camps.

Technology and War The race for new technologies was a very important part of WWII. Scientists in Axis and Allied countries competed to invent new tools that could help their side win the war.

Albert Einstein escaped Germany when Hitler rose to power, was now living in the US. He told FDR about the possibility of building an Atomic Bomb. Einstein warned that the Germans were probably working on atomic bombs.

FDR knew that the US could not afford to lose the race to build an atomic bomb, so the government started the Manhattan Project. Thousands of scientists went to work on creating the atomic bomb.

Secret codes were also important during WWII Secret codes were also important during WWII. If someone wanted to send a message they had to use a radio and anyone could listen in. Both sides worked on breaking codes. By breaking codes, the Allies knew what the Axis’ next move would be.

British mathematicians built what is considered the first computer to break the German code. Historians believe that this helped shorten the war by one year. Radar also came into use, which helped Allies find German planes.

The US also used Navajo people to create an unbreakable code The US also used Navajo people to create an unbreakable code. They used the ancient language of the people to send messages. Aside of the Navajo people only about 30 people in the world spoke the language. There was also not a written alphabet so the language could not be studied.

How were African American perceived prior to WWII and how did the perception change after WWII? How does rationing change consumer and manufacturing behavior? What was the opportunity cost for Americans that supported the efforts of the home front during WWII?