The United States in World War II The Home Front

Opportunity and Adjustment Economic Gains Higher wages Famers prospered-better weather, improvements Women –defense plants, better pay –challenging work Population Shifts African Americans left South for work in North - Workers move to where work was - -defense plants Social Adjustments Parents often working-at war Many rushed to marry Congress passed GI Bill of Rights (Serviceman’s Readjustment Act)

Discrimination and Reaction African Americans find more jobs during war Discrimination, violence in overcrowded cities – Detroit Riot 1943/9 whites, 25 blacks died – Los Angeles Zoot Suit riots 1943

Internment of Japanese Americans 120,000 Japanese American in U.S. during war Pearl Harbor Attack causes rumors to spread of Japanese spies in U.S. Some Japanese “interned” in Hawaii On West Coast of U.S. 110,000 sent to camps – 2/3 Nisei –born in the U.S. – 1/3 Issei – born in Japan – FDR signed Executive Order 9066-appled to West Coast only

Japanese Internment No Charges Ever Filed Against Japanese in U.S. No EVIDENCE of subversion ever found Families forced to sell homes & possessions

 Japanese fought Internment in Courts  Korematsu v. United States 1944  Supreme Court said “military necessity”  1988 Pres. Reagan signed a bill to give $20,000 to each individual that “suffered internment”

Japanese Interment Camps

Japanese Internment Camps

Images of the Internment