WW II
During & After
The American People
V-J Day
• August 14th 1945
• Japan’s government
unconditionally
surrenders to the USA
and it’s allies.
• Parades on the home
front.
• Large sense of
nationalism.
• Japanese Americans in
internment camps were
set free in California.
Executive Order 9066
 Issued February 19, 1942
 Forced Japanese into “internment camps”
Allowed the US Military to declare parts of the USA as
“military zones” baring “Foreign Enemy Ancestry”
Lead to over 120,000 Japanese Americans being held
in “internment camps” for up to 4 years.
Focused on the
Issei—Japanese Immigrants (1st Generations)
Nisei---American Born Japanese (2nd Generation)
Sansei---Japanese (3rd Generations Japanese
Americans)
Executive Order 9066
 These Internment Camps were the USA version of
Concentration Camps (minus the gas chambers)
People were given less than 48 hours notice.
Were told only to bring what they could carry.
Given an allegiance questionnaire to determine which
camp they would be “kept”
 Also relocated were Italians and Germans (but not as widely)
War’s Social and Economical Impact
• During WWII the USA saw their economy soar.
– Producing war supplies for the USA and it’s allies
was very profitable.
• People moved to cities to work in factories.
• Jobs paid well.
• Women, African-Americans, and HispanicAmericans worked as well and gained some
economic freedom/stability.
Military deployment breeds Social
Change
• Approximately 16 million men and 250,000
women served in the US military during WW II
• Most of these people were stationed in the USA
but in different parts.
• YouTube - Forrest Gump (part 6)
• Often after the war these people who were
stationed in other areas in the USA stayed there.
• These mixing of various cultures caused people to
adopt certain customs/social patterns.
Wartime Population Shifts
• People moved from rural areas to cities. (jobs)
• Sunbelt grew as well. (Florida Carolinas etc.)
• Many people relocated because of the war
effort and eventually stayed in their new areas
after the war.
Wartime Prosperity
• Because of such
economic/industrial
expansion many areas also
had advances.
• Health Care for working
people became common.
• Dental care vastly improved.
• Birth rates rose, death rates
declined. Lifespan extended.
• Average incomes rose. (We
became a middle class
nation)
Before WW II
After WW II
Office of Economic Stabilization
• Started in 1943.
• Headed by James F. Byrnes.
• Helped organize the wartime efforts from an
economic standpoint (successful) ----Helped
organize the government contracts for war
supplies.
• Real GDP grew by 25% Economy was
booming! (we haven’t been as good since)
Good and Bad
• With the government issuing large contracts for war
supplies they needed money.
• RAISE TAXES:
– Revenue Acts 1942-1943. (Created the modern income
tax) This generated an additional $40 Billion
• Other revenue came from War Bonds (Peddled by
movie stars/celebrities)
• YouTube - Bette Davis promoting the sale of war
bonds
• YouTube - Bugs Bunny War Bond Drive WW2
Cartoon
Good and Bad
• The depression of the 20’s and 30’s was
eliminated.
• Jobs were plentiful and wartime economic
expansion was fueled by government
spending and mass conscription.
– Conscription: The military draft.
• Farmers and industrial workers saw increases
in production (up to 20% increase)
Good and Bad
• Because businesses were booming and
laborers were employed congress enacted the
War Labor Board.
• War Labor Board (1942)
– Set guidelines for wages, hours, and unions.
– For the most part during war times labor unions
remained cooperative and didn’t strike much.
Good and Bad
• Because people were making government
product there were often shortages in
consumer goods. This leads to???????
– Inflation: (Too much money chasing too few
goods)
• Government then regulated this by putting
price restrictions on many consumer goods.
– They also used a ration system issuing coupons for
certain items.
Bad
• Roosevelt created the Office of Price
Administration: Their job was to regulate
prices/rations etc.
• This outraged citizens.
• Gas/Beef rationing was the worst.
– Gas was so scarce people bought it on
the black markets.
– Speed limits were set at 35mph to save gas.
– Service stations closed, people often had to walk
because a lack of gas.
– Motorists would line up for miles to get gas.
Bad
• Beef rationing also
hurt.
• Butchers were often
abused/hurt because
their display cases
were either empty or
they refused to budge
on the ration limits.
• Families had the $ to
pay. (just no beef)
Women’s Roles
• Prior to war, women
were seen as dainty and
unsuitable for
manufacturing.
• Women were actually
utilized during wartime.
• WAC --- Women’s
Auxiliary Army Corps
• WAVES—Women
Accepted for Voluntary
Emergency Service.
Women’s Roles
• Because of a
shortage of workers,
the idea of women
working outside the
home changed.
• Women worked in
factories, drove
trucks, worked in
munitions stations.
Women’s Roles
• Office of War Information:
– Produced propaganda to
encourage women to join
the war labor force.
– Slogan became Rosie the
Riveter “Do the job HE left
behind”
• YouTube - Rosie the
Riveters of World War II
Women’s Roles
The downside
• While women finally
enjoyed working in the
labor force, they did
have problems.
• Problems:
– Unequal pay from males
– Sexually harassed by
their male supervisors
– Lack of child care
facilities. “Latchkey
Children”
• Children were often put in
all day long movie
theaters.
• Girls turned to
prostitution
• Boys were vandals
Women’s Roles
The downside
• Women were expected to
relinquish their jobs to
men when the war
ended.
• Many did not want to.
• Some were fired.
• This started women to
raise their daughters to
be less subservient.
• Was the roots to women’s
rights.
African-Americans Role
• Were segregated.
• Often were attacked by
white civilians in the
south.
• Had lesser roles in the
military
• They had hoped their
service would translate
into better education and
job opportunities after
the war. (It didn’t)
• Hoped for a “Double V”
– Victory over the axis
powers
– Victory over the Jim Crow
Laws
African-Americans Role
• Fair Employment
Practices Committee
(FEPC)
– Started by Pres.
Roosevelt.
– Done to stifle a potential
protest because
employers were not
hiring black workers to
fill war contracts.
– It was symbolic
– It was not enforced
• Blacks started to move
to industrial cities in the
north.
– Whites didn’t like this
because they were
competing with them for
everything.
– They wanted blacks to
stay in the south.
Detroit Race Riots 1943
• Summer of 1943
• Since 1942, Detroit’s
population grew by
350,000 (50,000 black)
• Riot lasted 3 days
• Martial Law was declared
• 34 people killed (25 black)
• Over 600 injured (75%
black)
• Over 1800 arrested (86%
black)
African-Americans Role (After the war)
• Felt empowered
• Often stayed in the
north or west.
• Used their GI bill to
learn a trade
• Formed an AfricanAmerican middle class.
– Lead the later charge
against the Jim Crow
Laws
• The roots of the African
American Civil Rights
movements got their
start in WWII and it’s
aftermath.
Hispanic-American Contributions
• Over 350,000 joined the • USA government
military.
granted permission to
“import” Mexican
• They were given
workers to work the
prestigious military
farms. They could cross
positions.
the
border
because
of
• 11 receive Medal of
labor shortages.
Honor during WWII
– Braceros: (Mexican
laborers during WWII)
Zoot-Suit Riot
• Hispanics formed a type
of gang called
Pachucos.
– Wore Zoot-Suits.
→
– Sailors would often beat
the Pachucos because of
racial/ethnic tension.
– Media supported this.
– YouTube - Zoot Suit Riots
Native Americans Contributions
• Code-Talkers:
– Spoke in their native
Indian languages which
was next to impossible
for the Axis powers to
decode.
• Left their reservations
to help the war effort as
well.
• After the war, they
wanted reparations for
their land taken illegally
over 100 years ago.
• USA delayed negotiations
and in 1979 settled for
$0.47 per acre!!!!
War breeds Big Government
• Because the War effort
resulted in such an
economic boom the
following
ideas/concerns were
put on hold:
– Social Reform
– Labor Union
– Antitrust challenges
• The Government Grew
• War contracts allowed
the government to be
centralized (and big)
• War agencies sprang up
and the number of
government employees
tripled!
War breeds Big Government
• Roosevelt used the war
to enhance his
executive power.
• He appointed 8 liberals
to the Supreme Court
during his tenure.
• As a result the Supreme
Court refused to review
cases involving:
– Violations of civil
liberties during the war
– Wartime extensions of
federal power in
economic affairs
– It allowed the FBI to spy
on Americans for
national security
purposes (similar to the
Patriot Act)
War breeds Big Government
• Citizens began to look at
Washington D.C. for their answers
and Local/State governments
were viewed as week/pointless.
• Colleges and Universities shifted
their attention to wartime
research of weapons etc.
– Enrollment remained high during
the war
– After the war the G.I. Bill kept
enrollment high shifting the trend in
our country toward higher
education.
Roosevelt Wins his 4th term
• 1944 election Roosevelt
had Harry Truman as his
VP Candidate. (Who
would take over 3
months later)
• Roosevelt easily
defeated Thomas
Dewey
• (Roosevelt and his
camp played upon
Dewey’s small physical
stature.)
Homeland Prosperity & Luxury
• Because of wartime
jobs, people had
discretionary income.
• People engaged in
pleasure activities such
as..
• Reading (new books)
– Comic books were very
popular at the time.
• Radio (Amos & Andy)
• Dancing
• Movies
• Spectator sports grew
too.
– Only problem was men
were usually involved in
the service so sport
athletes were not
available.
• 1943 the All-American
Girls Professional
Baseball League
Formed.
All-American Girls Professional
Baseball League.
All-American Girls Professional
Baseball League.
• Started by Phillip K.
Wrigley. (Founder of the
cubs and gum)
• Underhand pitching
• No stealing
• Uniform was a skirt and
top.
• Were encouraged to play
hardball on the field but
be girly off.
• YouTube - A League of
Their Own (1992)
• Femininity was key.
– Had to attend charm
school while playing.
– Had to learn how to apply
make up (at all times)
– Issued a beauty kit.
• League continued even
after the war. Hitting it’s
peek in 1950, then male
baseball returned.
• League disbanded in
1954. (cause there’s no
crying in baseball)
• YouTube - no crying in
baseball
Hollywood goes to war.
(With Government Intervention)
• People went to movies
because they had the $.
• Office of War Information
– Created 2 sub agencies to
supervise the film industry.
1. Bureau of Motion Pictures
2. Bureau of Censorship
Bureau of Motion Pictures
– Issued the “Government
Information Manual for the
Motion Picture”
– “Will this picture help win
the war?”
– Show people making
sacrifices for victory in a
cheerful manor.
Hollywood goes to war.
• War films of the time
showed allies as helpful
and jolly.
• It also showed many
stereotypical images of
Japanese and women
being weak.
• Often showed the
“Hollywood Canteen”
– A place for servicemen to
relax, drink, dance see a
show, etc
End of WWII
• Looking for a quick end
to the war, USA
dropped an atomic
bomb on Hiroshima on
August 6th 1945 killing
more than 60,000
people.
• When the Japanese
didn’t surrender…..
• The USA dropped
another bomb on
Nagasaki August 9th
1945 killing an
additional 30,000+
•
The Result?
The Cold War
Cold War Intro (r4)