Download World War II on the Home Front

World War II on the
Home Front
SOL VUS.11
Success in the war required the
total commitment of the nation’s
resources. On the home front,
public education and the mass
media promoted nationalism.
U. S. government and industry
forged a close working
relationship to allocate resources
effectively.
Rationing was used to maintain
supply of essential products to the
war effort.
Actual Rationing Ads
War bonds and income tax were
used for financing the war.
Actual ads for war bonds
Business retooled from peacetime
to wartime production. For
example, car manufacturing
converted production to tank
manufacturing.
More women and minorities
entered the labor force as men
entered the armed forces.
Citizens volunteered in support
of the war effort.
The draft or selective service was
used to provide personnel for the
military. The draft was essential
because large numbers of men
were needed quickly to fill the
demand for troops.
Contributions in a war effort come
from all segments of a society.
Women entered into previously
male job roles in order to
replace men serving in the
military.
Rosie the Riveter became a
symbol for the women who
worked to help the war effort
succeed.
Women typically participated
in non-combat military roles.
African Americans and others
struggled to obtain
desegregation of the armed
forces and end discriminatory
hiring practices.
African Americans migrated to
cities in search of jobs in war
plants. This migration was known
as the Second Great Migration.
Let’s review why the African
Americans migrated:
 To work in defense plants
 To relocate to large cities
 To search for equality and escape
segregation
African Americans
campaigned for victory in war
and equality at home.
Prejudice, coupled with wartime
fears, affected civil liberties of
minorities. Strong anti-Japanese
prejudice grew on the West
Coast.
There was a false belief that
Japanese Americans were aiding
the enemy. This led to the
creation of internment camps for
Japanese Americans.
Japanese Americans were
relocated to internment camps.
This affected Japanese American
populations along the West Coast.
Location of
Japanese
internment camps
in California!
The Supreme Court upheld the
government’s right to act against
Japanese Americans living on the
West Coast of the United States.
There were Japanese Americans
who joined the draft to fight in
World War II. They tried to show
their loyalty to the United States
by earning many combat
decorations.
A public apology was eventually
issued by the U. S. government.
Financial payment was made to
survivors and their
families/heirs.
During the World War II, the media
and entertainment industries saw
their role as supporting the war
effort by promoting nationalism.
The U. S. government
maintained strict censorship
of reporting of the war.
Public morale and ad
campaigns kept Americans
focused on the war effort.
The entertainment industry
produced movies, plays, and
shows that boosted morale and
patriotic support for the war effort
as well as portrayed the enemy in
stereotypical ways.
1. Why was rationing
important during World War II?
It ensured that essential products
were available for the war.
2. What was the Second
Great Migration?
African Americans were moving to
the cities in large numbers.
Why?
To work in defense plants and to
escape segregation
3. What was the draft called?
Selective Service
Why was it needed?
Large numbers of troops were
needed quickly
4. What role did women fill
during the war effort?
They took jobs that men
previously had filled.
What type of military roles did women
fill?
Typically non-combat roles
5. How did industries help with
the war effort?
They retooled to produce
necessary war materials.
6. What was the feeling of
many Americans about
Japanese Americans?
They mistrusted them.
What did this cause?
Japanese Americans on the West
Coast were sent to internment camps.
7. How did Japanese American
men in the military try to show
their loyalty to the U. S.?
By performing well and being highly
decorated
8. What role did the media
play in the war effort?
They kept Americans focused on the
war effort.
9. How did the United finance
the war?
War bonds and income tax
10. Who became a symbol of the
effort of women in World War II?
Rosie the Riveter