1. Wartime Economy
1.1. We learn that, "Economies win wars no less than militaries" (The American Yawp). We learn this by reading the textbook and by watching how everything happens during this war. Without money and resources, this war would have been even harder to win.
1.2. Economy during the war
1.2.1. Spending
1.2.1.1. We fought a 4 year war and doubled all spending in American history.
1.2.1.2. Roosevelt's new deal had helped the economy, but it wasn't immediately better and it was slowly improving the economy until the war.
1.2.1.3. There was a huge budget deficit, but they knew that this war would cause for less unemployment and growth.
1.2.1.4. Because of all of these aspects, we were able to spend money during the war and we benefited from that.
1.2.2. Production
1.2.2.1. Military production became the most important thing
1.2.2.2. For example, "Appliance and automobile manufacturers converted their plants to produce weapons and vehicles" (The American Yawp).
1.2.3. Factory Work
1.2.3.1. "With factory work proliferating across the country and agricultural labor experiencing severe labor shortages, the presidents of Mexico and the United States signed an agreement in July 1942 to bring the first group of legally contracted workers to California" (The American Yawp).
1.2.4. Economy booms
1.2.4.1. Bond drives funded much of the war and helped tame inflation.
1.2.4.2. The government was able to raise income taxes to 94%.
2. Race and World War II
2.1. Race is something that had always been a struggle in America. There was always racism being practiced and all these people wanted to do was fight for their country and that they did.
2.2. Black Women in WWII
2.2.1. Had the simplest tasks on factory floors
2.2.2. Were forced to work nights to keep separate from white women
2.2.3. WAAC and the nurse corps accepted black women but could only have 10% black women
2.2.4. These women would work in segregated hospitals and on bases either statewide or overseas.
2.3. Black men in WWII
2.3.1. More than 1 million African American's fought in WWII.
2.3.2. They mostly served in segregated, noncombat units lead by a white leader.
2.3.3. "The all-black pilot squadrons, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, completed more than 1,500 missions, escorted heavy bombers into Germany, and earned several hundred merits and medals. Many bomber crews specifically requested the Red Tail Angels as escorts. And near the end of the war, the army and navy began integrating some of their units and facilities, before the U.S. government finally ordered the full integration of its armed forces in 1948" (The American Yawp).
2.3.4. On the home-front, they became welders, rationed food and gasoline, and bought victory bonds.
3. Soldiers Experiences
3.1. "Almost eighteen million men served in World War II. Volunteers rushed to join the military after Pearl Harbor, but the majority—over ten million—were drafted into service. Volunteers could express their preference for assignment, and many preempted the draft by volunteering. Regardless, recruits judged I-A, “fit for service,” were moved into basic training, where soldiers were developed physically and trained in the basic use of weapons and military equipment"(The American Yawp).
3.1.1. Soldiers in Europe dealt with extreme winters and harsh conditions. Soldiers in the Pacific dealt with heat and tropical diseases.
3.1.1.1. After basic training, they would then move on to a more specialized training depending on what their job was going to be during the war. After all of this intense training, they were then assigned and deployed.
3.1.2. Soldiers and marines bore most of the on ground combat. Sailors spent months at sea. The Air Force flew planes and were responsible for bombings.
3.1.2.1. There were many differences between American and Japanese soldiers. For example, "Americans, for instance, could understand surrender as prudent; many Japanese soldiers saw it as cowardice. What Americans saw as a fanatical waste of life, the Japanese saw as brave and honorable" (The American Yawp).
4. Women and World War II
4.1. During World War II, women became critical for the victory of America. We learn that " Industrial labor, an occupational sphere dominated by men, shifted in part to women for the duration of wartime mobilization" (The American Yawp). Women were able to dominate in the work force in America during this world war.
4.2. Women who chose not to work
4.2.1. They often would volunteer to help with the war.
4.2.2. They would ship medical supplies and care packages and food.
4.2.3. They would also organize community social events.
4.3. Military women
4.3.1. Over 350,000 women served in the different branches of the military during the war.
4.3.2. "The Army and Navy Nurse Corps Reserves, the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, the Navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, the Coast Guard’s SPARs, and Marine Corps units gave women the opportunity to serve as either commissioned officers or enlisted members at military bases at home and abroad" (The American Yawp).
4.3.3. There were over 105,000 nurses and they would work at base hospitals and medical units.