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Vocabulary List
• Ration: a fixed allowance of provisions or food
• War Bonds: a debt issued by a government for
the purpose of financing military operations
during times of war
• Interment: the imprisonment or confinement of
people, commonly in large groups,
• Morale: emotional or mental condition with
respect to cheerfulness, confidence
• Riveter:A person who installs rivets to fasten
an object together.
The American Home Front
December 7, 1941 - 1945
“We have nothing to fear but
fear itself”
• After the attack on Pearl
Harbor, President
Roosevelt read his
famous speech to
Congress and the U.S.
declared war on Japan.
• This led Germany and
Italy to declare war on
the U.S.
• World War II was now at
America’s shores. (so
much for neutrality).
Executive Order 9066
• In the U.S., Americans
were afraid that Japan
was targeting the west
coast.
• Tanks and soldiers
were sent to watch and
protect coasts..
• In reality, the U.S. could
do little to defend itself
at this time.
Tragedy for Japanese Americans
• After the Japanese
attacked Pearl
Harbor, Americans
questioned the
loyalty of Japanese
Americans
• Japanese were forced
to sell their homes
and businesses and
were sent to
“relocation camps”
Misfortune on the Home Front
• Off the East coast, Germany was sinking our
merchant ships with its submarines.
• Germany believed that the U.S. was assisting
Great Britain and France.
• The U.S. was losing battles in Asia.
Enlistment and Patriotism
• The American military
was not prepared for an
all out war.
• It only had 300,000 men.
• The U.S. calls on American
men to enlist.
• The American people
respond.
• In fact the Government is
overwhelmed by the
number that decide to
join.
U.S. Military
16,000,000
14,000,000
12,000,000
10,000,000
8,000,000
6,000,000
4,000,000
2,000,000
0
Pre-Attack
After
ALL AMERICANS FOUGHT
•
•
These “Golden 13” Great Lakes officers
scored the highest marks ever on the
Officers exam in 1944
•
•
•
Despite discrimination at
home, minority
populations contributed
to the war effort:
1,000,000 African
Americans
300,000 MexicanAmericans
33,000 Japanese Americans
25,000 Native Americans
13,000 Chinese Americans
More Rights for Blacks
• When the need for workers began to arise,
most industries would not hire blacks.
• A. Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood
of Sleeping Car Porters called for a protest
march on Washington.
• FDR made an agreement with Randolph and
forced companies to hire blacks.
• Black employment doubled during WWII
• Blacks were still forced to fight in all black units
during WWII.
• The Tuskegee Airmen were black fighter pilots
who destroyed 400 enemy aircraft by the end of the
war.
• The U.S. needed farm laborers during the war. The
government allowed Mexicans to travel over the
border and work on American farms. These
workers were called braceros.
Many
Mexican
Americans
also fought
for the U.S.
during
WWII
Native Americans in WWII
• 1 out of 3 Native Americans served in WWII
• Many of them became part of the group, the Navajo
Code-Talkers
• The Code-Talkers used their own languages to
communicate messages across enemy lines
• Even though these messages were often intercepted, no
one was ever able to interpret them
WOMEN MAKE GAINS
• Women enjoyed
economic gains during
the war, although many
lost their jobs after
the war
• Over 6 million women
entered the work force
for the first time
• Over 1/3 were in the
defense industry.
Contributions
• The Americans were asked by the
government to ration everything.
• The government also sold war
bonds (borrowed money from its
own people to help with the war).
• They needed money to help the
Allies as well as themselves. The
U.S. was also not a very rich
country and desperately needed
money.
• The goal was to help Allies
while the U.S. prepared.
Rationed Goods
• Rationed Items: sugar,
coffee, shoes, meats, and
cereals.
• Farms were producing as
much food as possible.
• Much of the food went to
British and Russian
soldiers and citizens as a
result of starvation.
Shift in
Production
• American Industry had to go
from peace time production
to war time production
(which takes a lot of time).
• GM, Ford, and Chrysler went
from creating cars to tanks.
• Boeing from regular airplanes
to bombers and fighter jets.
• Gun makers like Colt, from
hunting rifles to machine
guns, flamethrowers, war
rifles.
War Production
Ship and Submarine Production
25
20
15
Ships and
Subs
10
5
0
Before
After
• In full war mode, the U.S.
was producing weapons
faster than anybody
around thought that it
would or could.
• In one month, the U.S.
was able to produce up
to 4,000 tanks and 4,500
planes.
• Ship production also
increased dramatically to
help protect our coasts.
LABOR’S
CONTRIBUTION
• By 1944, nearly 18
million workers
were laboring in
war industries (3x
the # in 1941)
• More than 6 million
were women and
nearly 2 million
were minority.
COLLECTION
DRIVES
Success on the Home Front
• The war provided a lift
to the U.S. economy
• Jobs were abundant
and despite rationing
and shortages, people
had money to spend.
• By the end of the war,
America was the
world’s dominant
economic and military
power.
ECONOMIC GAINS
• Unemployment
fell to only 1.2%
by 1944 and
wages rose 35%
• Farmers
benefited as
production
doubled and their
income tripled
POPULATION SHIFTS
• The war triggered the
greatest mass migration
in American history.
• More than a million
newcomers poured into
California between
1941-1944.
• African-Americans again
shifted from south to
north.
G.I. BILL HELPS
RETURNING VETS
• To help returning
servicemen ease back
into civilian life,
Congress passed the
Servicemen’s
Readjustment Act
(G.I. Bill of Rights)
• The act provided
education for 7.8
million vets.