World War II Role of Women and Minorities in the Military and their changes in roles in America

Warm-up

World War II World-Wide conflict between 1939 – 1945. Fought in the European, African and Asian theaters. Axis Powers: Germany, Italy and Japan. Allied Powers: Britain, France, Russia and the United States.

Why did roles change during War time? White males were the first and most abundant type of soldier taken to fight during the War effort. When they went to fight in World War II, they left vacancies back home. Life in America still had to exist, regardless of the absence of these men. Women and Minorities were recruited to take the place of these men.

Women on the war front Women were recruited to do office tasks, factories jobs, and clerical work. Every job done by a woman was seen as a freeing up a man to serve on the front lines. While women weren’t always seen as equals, their contributions on the war front were.

Women in US Society Women were seen as the care takers of the household. It was the belief that women were to frail and not strong enough to work in industrial lines. As a closely held belief this would have to be undone to get women to join the work force.

Rosie the Riveter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2E613J9m0I

Poster

Questions – table discussion Looking at the video and poster, what were the goals of the propaganda? How did the video and poster attempt to chance societies perception of women? What specific language, images or phrases do you think were most effective in accomplishing their goal.

Long Term effects According to the Encyclopedia of American Economic History, "Rosie the Riveter" inspired a social movement that increased the number of working American women from 12 million to 20 million by 1944, a 57% increase from 1940 Helped to prove to both men and women in America that there was no such thing as a “man’s job” In 1942, just between the months of January and July, the estimates of the proportion of jobs that would be "acceptable" for women was raised by employers from 29 to 85%

After the War Men returned from war, and “typical” roles resumed, but the barrier was broken as women proved that there is no such thing as a “man’s job”. Equality in the workforce, wasn’t immediate, but this was a start to the movement. In the Armed Forces, the Women’s Army Crop eventually lead to the integration of the army where men and women would serve side by side.