
Remember Pearl Harbor became a rally cry for the US

Tons of eager young Americans stormed recruiting offices

5 million volunteered for service however it would not be enough for a two front war


Selective Service System which expanded draft would eventually provide another 10 million soldiers

8 weeks of basic training

Consisted of how to stand at attention, march, handle a rifle and follow orders


Army Chief of Staff General George Marshall pushed for a Woman's Auxiliary Army Corps

Women could serve in noncombat positions

Some in Congress opposed it however it became law on May 15,1942

Worked as nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators etc (anything not involving combat)


African Americans, Native Americans,
Mexican Americans and Asian Americans all suffered

Racially segregated neighborhoods and denial of basic rights
 “Why fight for democracy somewhere else when you do not have it here”


300,000 Mexican Americans joined the armed forces

About 1 million African American soldiers though most would not see a lot of combat till end of war

13,000 Chinese volunteered or about 1 in every
5 adults

33,000 Japanese volunteered

25,000 Native Americans volunteered including
800 women… some said if all volunteered like the Indians we would not need draft


Switch from consumer goods to war goods

Last car rolled off line in Feb 1942

Factories turned to all our war machines


1944 18 Million working in war factories more then three times in 1941

6 million of the new workers were women

African Americans still suffered discrimination and if hired were put in lower jobs


Called on march to Washington to end discrimination

President was shocked about number of people he would bring

Knew he could not feed them all

FDR issued a order to call on equaility