1. MOBILIZING FOR WAR
Chapter 14 Section 1

2. MOBILIZING FOR WAR CONVERTING THE ECONOMY MAIN IDEA
The United States quickly mobilized the economy to fight the war.

3. CONVERTING THE ECONOMY
After attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR was worried that the US Navy and Air Force was not big/strong enough to fight a war on 2 fronts
British Prime Minister Churchill wasn’t worried
Said Modern War depended on nations industrial power
Believed there was no limit to industrial power of the United States

4. CONVERTING THE ECONOMY
American industrial output was twice as productive as German workers and five times more productive that Japanese workers
War production in US turned tide in favor of the Allies
In less than 4 years US and allies done what no other nation had ever done
Fought and won a 2 front war against two powerful military empires

5. CONVERTING THE ECONOMY
This rapid growth and increased war production was possible in part because the gov’t had already started mobilizing the economy before war
When German blitzkrieg was in France (1940) FDR claimed a national emergency and announced plan to build 50,000 warplanes in a year
Also asked Congress for $4 billion to build “Two-Ocean Navy”

6. CONVERTING THE ECONOMY
American’s agreed because of the shock of German success and wanted to build up countries defenses
October 1940 Congress increased defense budget to more that $17 Billion
Army-Navy Munitions Board began signing contracts with American companies for new aircraft, ships, and equipment

7. CONVERTING THE ECONOMY
FDR believed gov’t and business had to work together to prepare for war
Created National Defense Advisory Committee
Believed giving industry and incentive to move quickly was best way to quickly mobilize the economy
Instead of having companies bid, gov’t signed “cost-plus” contracts
Agreed to pay companies whatever it cost to make product plus a guaranteed percentage of the costs as profit

8. CONVERTING THE ECONOMY
Under Cost-Plus, the more that was produced and the faster it was produced the more money the company would make
Wasn’t cheap BUT got war materials produced quickly
Convinced many companies to convert to war production
To get more gave Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) authority to make loans to companies wanting to convert factories to war production

9. MOBILIZING FOR WAR AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE MAIN IDEA
Factories built tanks, airplanes, trucks, and jeeps for military use, as well as safer ships.

10. AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE
Fall of 1941 much had been done to prepare for war but only partially mobilized
Companies had converted but still preferred to make consumer goods
After Pearl Harbor, the demand for war materials changed everything
Summer 1942 almost all major industries (200,000 companies) had converted to war production

11. AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE
Tanks Replace Cars
Auto industry was uniquely suited to mass production of military equipment
Auto factories began making trucks, jeeps and tanks
Mass producing these important in modern warfare
Country that could move troops and supplies most quickly usually won the battle
Auto factories also built artillery, rifles, mines, helmets, pontoon bridges and dozen of other military equipment
Ford even created assembly line for B-24 bomber
Produced nearly one-third of all military equipment manufactured during the war

12. AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE
Building the Liberty Ships
Henry Kaiser’s shipyards matched Ford’s aircraft production
Kaiser started in construction but when World War II started moved to ship building
German Submarines sinking American ships at a very fast rate so US had to build cargo ships as quickly as possible
Kaiser shipbuilding
Speed more important than quality and cost less important than results
Built ships differently than before, prefabricated ship parts and brought to shipyard for assembly

13. AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE
Kaiser’s shipyards built many kinds of ships but most famous for Liberty Ships
Basic cargo ship used during the war
Were welded instead of riveted (tended to crack but were preferred cargo ships)
War began took 244 days to build first liberty ship
After Kaiser shipyards applied mass production, took average 41 days
Kaiser built 30% of all American ships

14. AMERICAN INDUSTY GETS THE JOB DONE
The War Production Board
Business leaders became frustrated with mobilization process
Gov’t agencies argued about supplies, contracts and whose orders had the highest priority
FDR tried to improve process by creating “War Production Board” (WPB)
Set priorities and production goals to control the distribution of raw materials and supplies
WPB clashed with military… still signed contracts without consulting WPB
1943 FDR created “Office of War Mobilization”(OWM) to settle arguments between agencies

15. MOBILIZING FOR WAR BUILDING AN ARMY MAIN IDEA
Minorities and women played an important role in the United states armed forces during World War II

16. BUILDING AN ARMY Creating an Army
Within days of Germany’s attack on Poland in 1939 FDR expanded Army to 227,000 soldiers
Before spring of 1940 most people opposed peacetime draft but when France surrendered opinions changed
June members of Congress introduced Selective Service and Training Act – first peacetime draft in US history
Act Passed in September by a wide margin

17. BUILDING AN ARMY You’re in the Army Now
More than 60,000 men enlisted in the months after Pearl Harbor
First overwhelmed training facilities (slept in tents)
Didn’t have equipment (sticks for guns and stones for grenades)
New recruits went to reception centers for physicals, injections against disease, given aptitude test and given uniforms and boots with label GI (Gov’t issued)
How American soldiers got called GIs
After test, went to basic training for 8 weeks to train and break down barriers in order to work together and create “brotherhood”

18. BUILDING AN ARMY A Segregated Army
At the start of war, US army was segregated (black soldier did not train with white soldiers)
Had separate barracks, latrines, recreational facilities
After training, African American’s were even organized into own units BUT commanded by white officers
Most commanders did not want African Americans in combat and assigned them to construction and supply units
Due to this some African Americans didn’t want to join Army claiming to be “disenfranchised”
But majority supported and wanted to support war

19. BUILDING AN ARMY Pushing for the “Double V”
1941 African American’s combined patriotism and protest
Wanted African Americans to join the war effort
African American newspaper in Pittsburgh launched “Double V campaign”
Urged to support the war and achieve double victory in racism abroad (Hitler) and in the US

20. BUILDING AN ARMY African Americans in Combat
Under pressure African American leaders, FDR ordered army, air force, navy and marines to recruit African Americans and put them in combat
Also promoted Colonel Benjamin Davis to rank of brigadier general
1941 Air Force created the first African American unit (99th Pursuit Squadron)
Trained in Tuskegee so became known as “Tuskegee Airmen”
1943 sent squadron into battle and won the battle of Anzio in Italy
Late 1943 Davis commanded 3 other African American units (32nd Fighter Group)
Did over 200 missions and didn’t lose a soldier to enemy aircraft

22. BUILDING AN ARMY African Americans did well in the Army too
All African American Tank Battalion was commended for service in Battle of the Bulge
Didn’t end all segregation in World War 2 but
Integrate military bases in 1943
Expanded role of African Americans within armed forces
Fully integrated Military in 1948 (under Truman)

23. BUILDING AN ARMY Other Minorities in the Military
Japanese Americans were NOT allowed to serve in military at first
As war progressed, second-generation Japanese Americans were allowed to serve (100th Infantry Battalion and 442 Regimental Combat team)
Almost half of these had been in internment camps
Became most decorated Units in US History
Many Mexican Americans served on front lines (joined National Guard in 1930s)
Most minorities however were allowed only in noncombat positions
Native American’s were exception to that policy
1/3 of all healthy Native American men served during the war

24. BUILDING AN ARMY Women Join the Armed Forces
Army enlisted women for first time but were barred from combat
Women in administrative jobs freed men for combat
Congress first allowed women in military in May 1942 when created Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)
“Oveta Culp Hobby” was appointed first director
A year later Army replaced with “Women’s Army Corps” (WAC) and director Hobby promoted to Colonel
1940 Women pilots argued that they could join the war effort and deliver planes
1942 started training and created Women Air force Service Pilots (WASPs)
300 women pilots made more than 12,000 deliveries of 77 different kinds of planes
Other military units followed army inclusion of women and over 68,000 women served as nurses

25. REVIEW QUESTIONS
What government policies helped American Industry to produce large quantities of war materials?
What military need led to the production of Liberty Ships?
How did the status of women and African Americans in the armed forces change during the war?