Download U5D4- Effects of the War at Home and Abroad

Chapter 20, Section 2

Women began working
outside of the home again
during WWII. However, there
were two main differences
from when they worked during
WWI.
 They were involved in heavy
industrial jobs– manufacturing
of munitions and other war
items
▪ This is where the iconic ‘Rosie the
Riveter’ image came from.
 Women no longer quit their job
once they were married–
started a trend of women
working longer.

African Americans were also
given new opportunities and
began a “Double V” campaign–
victory to end the war, victory
to end discrimination.
 Urged by A. Philip Randolph,
Roosevelt passed Executive
Order 8802, which instituted fair
hiring practices in governmentfunded jobs.
 Also, the NAACP grew in its
membership to almost 500,000
members.

Many minority workers moved to large cities to
fulfill abandoned manufacturing jobs.
 In Los Angeles, Mexican-Americans were targeted. In
other instances, African Americans and whites
clashed over a lack of housing.
 A ‘zoot suit’ refers to a form of rebellious clothing
worn in the 1940s– baggy pants and long coats.
These clashes between minorities and whites became
known as ‘zoot suit’ riots.

Both instances demonstrate how increased
industrialization led to population booms and
conflict.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, many
Americans began to distrust JapaneseAmericans. This led to internment–
temporary imprisonment– of these
individuals.
 In the most famous internment case
(Korematsu v. United States (1944)), Fred
Korematsu refused to leave his business to go
to the camp. He argued he was denied
protection granted by the 14th amendment.
▪ This amendment guaranteed all citizens ‘equal
protection’ under the law.
 The Supreme Court disagreed, allowing it for
‘security reasons.’


Americans did their part to
finance the war. It cost
$330 billion, so Congress
implemented a 5% income
tax on all Americans.
Americans also purchased
war bonds, as they had in
WWI.
 The debt increased to
almost $300 billion during
WWII.

In order to stop inflation, Roosevelt
created the Office of Price
Administration to control wages and
set maximum prices.
 The government also encouraged
rationing– the issuing of coupon books
that limited the amount an individual
could buy of certain goods that were
needed for the war.

The media’s main job was to keep
American morale high. The Office of
War Information continually
presented the war as a fight for
democracy.
Chapter 20, Section 5

In February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin
met at Yalta to discuss the fate of the conquered
German territories. They discussed the
following:
 Divide Germany into ‘zones’ of occupation for Britain,





France, the US and USSR.
Bring Nazi war criminals to trial
Free elections in Poland
Help establish democratic govs in Europe
Set up a commission to look into reparations
Roosevelt was willing to give concessions to
Stalin in exchange for his help in the Pacific.

In July, 1945, Stalin, Truman and Clement Atlee
met at Potsdam. They decided on:
 Dividing Germany
 Dismantling the Nazi gov and laws; eliminate
militarist doctrines
 Bring Nazi war criminals to trial
 Recognize and hold free elections in Poland
 Allow S.U. to collect reparations from the Soviet zone
of occupation

There had been open disagreement over these
‘compromises’, though.


After WWII, there was a
push to end imperialistic
control. Many African
nations gained
independence, as well as
many nations in the
Pacific.
The Soviet Union and the
U.S. emerged as
superpowers– countries
that dominated the world.
Unlike after WWI, following WWII
Americans looked to establish
themselves in postwar diplomacy. They
worked to promote global economic
stability by reducing tariffs.
 They also pushed for the establishment
of the United Nations, an organization
made up of countries from around the
world that would discuss problems
before going to war.
 The U.S. also helped establish a
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
in 1948.


While the U.S. was a part of a changing world,
many changes were also going on internally
within the U.S.
 The U.S. assumed a greater world leadership role.
 There was an increased push for civil rights
following WWII, stemming from the impact
African Americans made.
 With the Great Depression over, a new domestic
economy where wealth was distributed more
evenly. This was largely accomplished through
government regulation.