Visit to the International Museum of World War II

Welcome to the International Museum of World War II. The artifacts and documents here are authentic. Every object played a

role in World War II. Please treat everything with respect and care.

This map will help you navigate the exhibitions and find documents and artifacts that will be helpful to you.

Name_______________________________________ Date ________________

1

Lesson Plan: Women and the WarDuring WWII, women in all combatant nations became involved in the war effort in one way or another. While experiences differed from country to country, women’s wartime contributions generally fell into three areas: military, industry, and home. And while millions of women stepped out of their traditional roles and took on what had been known as “men’s work,” the vast majority returned to their traditional roles once the war ended.

In this lesson, you will learn about the different roles women in Germany, Britain, Occupied Europe, and America fulfilled during WWII. You also will look for similarities and differences among the countries. Finally, you will look for evidence that traditional views about women and their proper place continued during the war, helping to explain women’s return to the home at war’s end.

2

As you visit the galleries today, answer the questions on the following pages.

Rise of Nazism Gallery

1. Locate this poster:

A. What do you think this propaganda poster wanted German women to do? What clues in the poster make you think this?

2. Locate this poster:

“The Enemy is Listening”

A. What job do you think these women had?

B. What power is this poster suggesting women have?

3. Overall, there aren’t many artifacts in the German galleries related to women. While this is partly a result of the Museum’s collection, what else might explain the limited visibility of women in Nazi Germany?

3

Battle of Britain Gallery

1. There are many women’s uniforms on display. Locate and write down the names of the organizations they joined.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Based on these artifacts alone, what can you conclude about British women’s participation in their country’s war effort?

2. There are two propaganda posters directed at women in this gallery.

(The nickname for this poster was “The Blonde Bombshell”)

A. This was a recruitment poster for the Auxiliary Territorial Service, one of the services British women could join during the war. Do you think this was an effective poster? In other words, do you think it would persuade women to volunteer? Why or why not?

B. In the end, the British government never used “The Blonde Bombshell.” Below is one of the posters the British government did use to recruit for the ATS. What do you see as the primary difference between this one and the one above?

3. Locate this poster:4

A. Why do you think mothers were encouraged by the British government to get their children out of the cities? (Think about what the Germans were doing to British cities during the Battle of Britain)

B. Why would the government try to convince mothers NOT to “take them back”? What was the government afraid would happen to the children? And, why would Hitler be trying to convince mothers to “take them back”?

4. Overall, what is your impression of the roles British women played in WWII as compared to German women?

Resistance Gallery

1. There is a baby carriage in this room. Look carefully at it. How was it used as part of the French resistance movement?

What risks was a mother taking by using this baby carriage? Why would a mother take such risks with her own child?

5

2. Locate 2 different examples of women’s participation in resistance movements. Fill in as much of the chart below as you can:

Example #1 Example #2

Woman’s Name

Country/ResistanceMovementWhat did she do?

What happened to her?

America Enters the War Gallery

1. On the walls, there are many propaganda posters that depict women in a variety of different wartime roles. Identify and list at least 3 different roles below and write down the poster’s title next to the role.

Women’s Role Poster Title

1.

6

2.

3.

2. What do these propaganda posters ask women to do? In what ways are they being asked to serve their country outside of their traditional roles of wives and mothers?

3. In the glass cases underneath the propaganda posters, locate at least 2 additional artifacts related to women and the war. What does the artifact tell you about what women did during the war? Does the artifact suggest a new role for women or does it reinforce traditional stereotypes about women?

Artifact #1 Artifact #2Description/What is the Artifact? (You may draw the artifact if you prefer)

Artifact #1 Artifact #2What does the artifact tell you about women’s roles during the war?

Traditional or new role for women?

7

4. Locate the three flight jackets hanging by the B-17 flight control panel and read the placards on the wall behind them. How do these jackets both uphold and challenge traditional ideas about women and their roles?

Traditional Ideas:

New Roles:

8

Summary—Find a partner and complete the chart below together.

Having looked at the museum collection with a focus on women’s experiences, you should now have an understanding of how women both continued in their traditional roles and took on new ones. In the chart below, list as many examples as you can for each category.

Traditional Roles New Roles

Some historians argue that wars can be so disruptive that societal norms are challenged and changed. What would say was the most significant change for women during WWII?

9