World War II
Homefront
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mobilizing for War
Industrial Production
Women and the War
Rationing and shortages
The Government and the people
Conclusions
Mobilizing for War
Mobilizing for War
• The government got larger
Mobilizing for War
• The government got larger
• 1939- 900,000 civilian employees
Mobilizing for War
• The government got larger
• 1939- 900,000 civilian employees
• 1945-4,000,000 “
“
Mobilizing for War
•
•
•
•
The government got larger
1939- 900,000 civilian employees
1945-4,000,000 “
“
Federal expenditures grew from $9 bil. Per
year in 1939 to $98 bil. By 1945
Industrial Mobilization
• Gross National Product grew from $91
billion in 1939 to $215 billion by 1945.
Defense Production
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
5,600 merchant ships
80,000 landing craft
100,000 tanks and armored cars
300,000 airplanes
2.4 million trucks
20 million small arms
41 billion rounds of ammunition
6 million tons of bombs
Women and the War
Women and the War
• By 1943, 17 million American women
worked outside the home for pay!
Women and the War
• By 1943, 17 million American women
worked outside the home for pay!
• Worked for less $ than men doing same job.
Women and the War
• By 1943, 17 million American women
worked outside the home for pay!
• Worked for less $ than men doing same job.
• Many wanted to keep working after war.
Women and the War
• By 1943, 17 million American women
worked outside the home for pay!
• Worked for less $ than men doing same job.
• Many wanted to keep working after war.
• Transformed society’s views of “women’s
work”
Women and the War
• By 1943, 17 million American women
worked outside the home for pay!
• Worked for less $ than men doing same job.
• Many wanted to keep working after war.
• Transformed society’s views of “women’s
work”
• Changed the role of women in the family.
War Boom Communities
• Helped by the Community Facilities
(Lanham) Act
War Boom Communities
• Helped by the Community Facilities
(Lanham) Act
• Provided federal $ for child care centers,
clinics, schools, recreation; anything for
which a war-related need could be shown.
Problems of Children on the
home front
Problems of Children on the
home front
• Latchkey children
Problems of Children on the
home front
• Latchkey children
• Shortage of teachers and school space
Problems of Children on the
home front
• Latchkey children
• Shortage of teachers and school space
• Fear of increased crime and juvenile
delinquincy
Problems of Children on the
home front
• Latchkey children
• Shortage of teachers and school space
• Fear of increased crime and juvenile
delinquincy
• Street gangs
Problems of Children on the
home front
• Latchkey children
• Shortage of teachers and school space
• Fear of increased crime and juvenile
delinquincy
• Street gangs
• Victory Girls: Young girls who had sex
with servicemen for patriotic reasons
Impact of the War on American
Life
Impact of the War on American
Life
• Economic Recovery
• Women worked in increasing numbers
Impact of the War on American
Life
• Economic Recovery
• Women worked in increasing numbers
• Government social programs transformed
the infrastructure and institutions
Impact of the War on American
Life
• Economic Recovery
• Women worked in increasing numbers
• Government social programs transformed
the infrastructure and institutions
• The G.I. Bill of Rights- college tuition,
health care, and home mortgages for vets.