We Helped Win The War Too!
A Look at Minority Groups in
WWII
Women At the Homefront
• By 1944 20 million
women working (up
57% from 1940)
• Men $54.65/week
• Women $31.21/week
Rosie the Riveter
• Nickname for women
working in Factories
• Jobs: welders,
riveters, making
munitions, machinists,
etc
Women in the Military
• Law by May 1942 (at
1st Congress against
it-it took a year to
pass)
• Jobs: Secretaries,
radio operators, truck
drivers, and airplane
mechanics
• NO COMBAT!
Women in The Military
• WACS: Army (1943)
• Formally the WAAC
• WAVES: Navy
(fashion designer
helped design
uniforms to keep
feminine)
• SPARS: Coast Guard
(1942)
• MCWR: Marine Corps
(1942)
Women in the Military
• WASPS: Women’s Air
Force Service Pilots
• Ferried training aircraft
and supplies
• 38 died during WWII
Hazel Ying Lee
Died 1944
Women to Know
Jackie Cochran
Helped form the WAAC and
WASP
Nancy Harkness Love
Commander of several WAFS squads
(Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron)
WASPS AFTER WAR
• Returned home with
no military benefits or
recognition
• July 1, 2009 Obama
awarded them the
Congressional Gold
Medal
• Ceremony March 10,
2010
Civilian Women Overseas
• Red Cross: nurses,
nurses aides
• Salvation Army:
Donut Dollies,
Entertainment
African Americans on The
Homefront
• Women migrate north
to work in factories
• Double V Campaign:
victory over fascism in
Europe & victory over
racism at home
African Americans in the Military
• Start of WWII
Segregated, No
Combat depending on
branch
• 2.5 million African
Americans registered
for the draft
-For better pay & to fight
racism
African Americans in the Military
• Army: Two all black
units
• 92nd Division
• 761st Tank Division
(Black Panthers)
-Fought in combat
-Battle of the Bulge
-Medal of Honor winner
761st Tank Unit
• “Men, you're the first Negro
tankers to ever fight in the
American Army. I would never
have asked for you if you
weren't good. I have nothing
but the best in my Army. I don't
care what color you are as
long as you go up there and
kill those Kraut sons of b*****.
Everyone has their eyes on
you and is expecting great
things from you. Most of all
your race is looking forward to
your success. Don't let them
down and d*** you, don't let
me down!” -Patton
African Americans in the Military
• Tuskegee Airmen:
Trained at Tuskegee
University & Howard
University
-1st had to train as
civilians
-445 Tuskegee airmen
in WWII
-150 killed in WWII
-Highly Decorated
After the War
• Troops become
Desegregated by the end
of WWII
• Return to discrimination
and segregation in the
south
• Jackie Robinson: 1st
African American to play
for the Major Leagues in
Baseball April 15, 1947
• *He was in the 761st!
Mexican Americans
• Bracero Programs: US
recruits Mexican farmers
• -told to return after WWII
• Zoot Suit Riots: white
sailors started a fight with
Mexican Americans & it
led to riots in Los Angeles
that spread across the
country
• Also targeted African
Americans, other Latinos,
& Filipinos
• Nicknamed for suits
Mexicans wore