World War II

Americans at War: 1941-1945

Mobilization of People

• Selective Training and Service Act (1940) • Reasons for war - The Four Freedoms

speech• “G.I.s” - Government Issue = Soldiers,

sailors, airmen nickname for themselves• Ethnic/racial diversity in Military Service,

Women in Military Service

The DRAFT

• All males 21-36 to register for military service

• $2 billion to $10 billion in military spending

• First peace time Military DRAFT in US

The Four Freedoms - Norman Rockwell

Speech

Worship

From Want

FromFear

The Four Freedoms

• Speech given by FDR, Jan 6, 1941

• Outlined fundamental reasons and ideals to define what we would fight for.

The Soldiers

• 16,000,000 served• Fought for a “cherished

way of life”• Fought to preserve

freedom• 300,000+ died• Called “The Greatest

Generation” – Book by Tom Brokaw

(NBC News)

A B-17 Crew “Somewhere in England” (p. 748)

Preparation of the Economy

• War Production• Work Force• Financing - Paying for the War

PREPARING FOR WORLD WAR 2

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War Production • The U.S. became the ‘Arsenal of Democracy’

• Ended the Great Depression• War Production Board

(1942)– Converted peacetime

industries to wartime– Set priorities and allocated

raw materials

• Office of War Mobilization– Centralized resources

Map 25.5: The Home Front

WORLD WAR 2 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION

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U.S. Wartime Production: 1

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U.S. Wartime Production: 2

U.S. Wartime Production: 3

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The Work Force

• Women joined workforce

• Blacks migrated to big cities and west coast for jobs

• Union membership increased

World War 2 Posters

WORLD WAR 2 SHIPBUILDING

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WORLD WAR 2 SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES

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Financing The War

• Government borrowed: War Bonds

• GNP doubled• Deficit spending

soared

War Bonds

WORLD WAR 2 WAR BONDS

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Daily life in America during the War

• Most people had a relative or friend in the military

• War new followed closely on radio and in newspapers

• Shortages, Controls, Rationing to help in the war effort

• Popular Culture -flourished and also supported the war effort

Shortages - Recycling• Metal, rubber, nylon used to

manufacture military goods.• Scrap metal and tires collected and

recycled

Food Shortages • Office of Price Administration (OPA)

• Government agency during World War II)– Controlled inflation– Rationing of scarce

items: sugar, coffee, meat, butter, shoes, gasoline, etc.

Rationing Books during WW II

Food Rationing info - WW II

WORLD WAR 2 RATIONING, ETC.

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Public Support: Victory Gardens

• Enlisted public support

• Families encouraged to grow their own food

• Families encouraged to can their own food.

Victory Gardens

Victory Gardens

Other War-time slogans and efforts

• “Conserve and Collect”• “Play your Part”• Night time “blackouts”

Public support approached 95-100% of the population during the War years.