Mobilizing for War

Selective Service Five million Americans volunteered for military service after Pearl Harbor Selective service system provided 10 million more soldiers Endured eight weeks of basic training

Women in the Military Army chief of staff George Marshall created the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) –Women would serve in noncombat positions –Ex. Nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, and pilots. –In all, 350,000 women served in the military during the war.

Military Service 300,000 Mexican Americans One million African Americans 13,000 Chinese 33,000 Japanese Americans 25,000 Native Americans

War Industry Factories quickly converted to war production Our priority shifted to producing the tremendous amount of arms and supplies needed by our troops and our allies.

Women at Work 6 Million women joined the work force during the war On the home front, they worked in factories, many times in jobs traditionally performed by men –Welding, machinist, construction, truck driving

OSRD 1941 – Rossevelt created the Office of Scientific Research and Development Improvements in radar and sonar Encouraged pesticides to fight insects Pushed the development of penicillin Atomic bomb (Manhattan Project)

Conserving Scarce Resources Americans participated in voluntary programs to reduce consumption by recycling items and by growing their own food. The U.S. imposed a mandatory rationing system. Citizens were limited in the amount of food and gas they could buy.

Economical Impacts WWII brought the Great Depression to an end by providing jobs for all 1% unemployment During the war, the U.S. spent 330 billion dollars. American industries out-produced and outlasted our opponents and, ultimately, won the war.

The Japanese Internment In the first months after Pearl Harbor, Japanese-Americans on the west coast were ordered to leave their homes and jobs, and were relocated to internment camps. This was for national security. It is now known, however, that this group was never a threat. This action was a violation of their constitutional rights. Japanese-Americans suffered great inconvenience and financial loss