America in the War

SS10Arnold

Converting the Economy

Started in 1940 (after Germany took France) 50,000 planes per year “Cost-plus” contracts = high profits Incentive for companies to convert RFC gave loans to convert

After Pearl Harbor most major industries and 200,000 companies had converted

What did they make before? What does it mean to “convert to wartime production”?

Cars to Tanks

Car factories made Trucks Jeeps Tanks Guns Helmets Cooking pots Airplanes

Coordinated by the WPB- War Production Board (allocate resources and

supplies) OWM- Office of War Mobilization (resolve arguments

between gov. agencies like WPB and Army)

Creating an Army

1940 First Peacetime Draft: “Selective Service and Training Act”

Had inadequate facilities and supplies (used sticks and rocks for guns and grenades)

Women’s Roles

Non-combat, clerical and support roles. Women’s Army Corp Navy, Marines and Coast Guard followed

Also served as nurses

New kinds of jobs 4 million clerical and support jobs 2.5 million industrial and manufacturing jobs

Traditionally male dominated

African American Roles

Segregated training facilities and units at the start of the war Integrated bases in 1943 African Americans were given combat roles at FDRs orders Double V: Victory against Hitler’s racism and racism at home.

Industries reluctant to hire African Americans

FDR 1941: Fair Employment Practices Commission (First gov. civil rights agency since reconstruction)

Ensure no discrimination in defense industry or gov jobs Race, creed, color or national origin

Continued “Great Migration” Outbreaks of racial violence in the North

Mexican Americans 1942 Bacero Program: 200,000 Mexican

immigrant farm workers needed for harvest. (continued until 1964)

Zoot Suit Riots Popular clothing style- baggy suit pants and

a long jacket “unpatriotic” waste of materials

2,500 sailors and soldiers attacked Mexican American neighborhood in LA.

Police did not intervene LA banned “Zoot Suit”

Life at home

Major Shortages of goods Price and Wage controls

No Strike Pledges Rationing

Meat, sugar, coffee Gasoline Processed foods

Victory Gardens Scrap Drives Increased Taxes War Bonds (borrow from the people)