The U.S. in World War II Section 1: Mobilizing for Defense http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-05.jpg http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-06.jpg The U.S. in World War II http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-02.jpg http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/ Section 1: Mobilizing for Defense Section 2: The War for Europe and North Africa Section 3: The War in the Pacific Section 4: The Home Front

America Mobilizing for Defense Facts About Service 15 million entered the service after Pearl Harbor 5 million volunteered 10 million drafted 2/3 of the 15 million served in the Army The average length of active-duty was 33 months. On average 16 months of these was served overseas. 292,000 U.S. servicemen were killed in battle. 114,000 were killed due to other causes. 671,000 were wounded. The 2000 census counted 5.7 million World War II veterans, of these 210,000 were women. http://stamps.about.com/od/historyofphilately/ig/Veteran-s-Day-Gallery/HonorFDC.htm

Women in the Military WAAC - Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps Organized by General George Marshall, Army Chief of Staff Oveta Culp Hobby, first director of WACC Allowed women to hold noncombat positions Gave women a salary, but few benefits at first Later became WAC – Women Army Corps Received full benefits Worked as nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians and pilots More than 13,000 women applied the first day A total of 350,000 served in WAAC and other branches

Women Enter All Branches WAVES - Women Appointed for Voluntary Emergency Service (Navy) WAFS - Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron WASP – Women’s Air Force Service Pilots SPAR (Coast Guard)

Recruiting and Discrimination Minority groups were in segregated units and usually were not allowed into much combat Groups Mexican Americans – 300,000 African Americans – 1,000,000 Asian Americans Chinese Americans – 13,000 Allowed for a repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943 Japanese Americans 33,000 Native Americans – 25,000 (800 women)

Office of Scientific Research and Development Most important of all offices created Made a great number of scientific and technological contributions War Weapons Catch up in development of high speed missiles and rockets Bazooka rocket launcher Atomic Bomb War Technology Improvement to Radar and Sonar DDT pesticide to prevent body lice Penicillin antibiotic that saved lives Semi conductors Computers Freeze Dried Food Synthetic materials See Pages 588-589

War Production Board Introduced to maximize production of war material Curtailed or banned production of more than 300 nonessential items Refrigerators Bicycles Beer Cans Automobiles – Feb. 1942 the last car rolled off the assembly line Find other materials for nonessentials Convert Production Many industries converted to make war materials Auto industry retooled to make tanks, planes, boats, and command vehicles New Production Synthetic Rubber Nylon and other synthetic materials Organized drives to collect needed recyclable products like tin, scrap iron, paper, etc.

Office of Price Administration Organized to fight inflation by freezing wages, prices, and rent Rationed foods, such as meat, butter, cheese, vegetables, sugar and coffee Rationing – establishing fixed allotments of goods deemed essential for the military Citizens were allotted rationing coupons Black Market – illegal market in which rationed items are sold are very high prices

Paying for the War Revenue Act of 1942 Raised the top personal-income tax to 88% Added lower- and middle-income Americans to the income-tax rolls Selling War Bonds – government encouraged Americans to purchase bonds. It helped fund the war It helped with inflation

Women in the Workplace 6 million women joined the workforce Some thought women couldn’t handle the work Women proved they could operate welding torches and rivet guns as well as men Women earned about 60 % as much as men doing the same jobs Rosie the Riveter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_the_Rivete r