Wartime MigrationWartime Migration Many of the 15 million mobilized for the Many of the 15 million mobilized for the

war chose not to return home after 1945war chose not to return home after 1945 War industries War industries brought people to brought people to

boomtowns like boomtowns like Seattle, Detroit, LASeattle, Detroit, LA In 1938 FDR called the South In 1938 FDR called the South the nation’s the nation’s

“number one economic problem”“number one economic problem” Received a disproportionate share of Received a disproportionate share of defense defense

contractscontracts 1.6 million blacks left the South 1.6 million blacks left the South seeking jobs seeking jobs

in the North and Westin the North and West Race relations now be a “national” issue Race relations now be a “national” issue

Wartime Migration – Race RelationsWartime Migration – Race Relations Racial tensions Racial tensions increased over employment, increased over employment,

housing, and segregated facilitieshousing, and segregated facilities A. Philip RandolphA. Philip Randolph (head of the (head of the Brotherhood of Brotherhood of

Sleeping Car PortersSleeping Car Porters) threatened a massive ) threatened a massive “Negro March on Washington” “Negro March on Washington” in 1941in 1941

Demanded equal opportunities for blacks in war Demanded equal opportunities for blacks in war jobs and in the armed forcesjobs and in the armed forces

ResultResult:: FDR issued an executive order FDR issued an executive order forbidding discrimination in forbidding discrimination in defense industriesdefense industries

The war will embolden blacks to fight for The war will embolden blacks to fight for equality (equality (slogan “Double V” slogan “Double V” - victory over - victory over dictators abroad and racism at home)dictators abroad and racism at home)

A. Philip Randolph, 1942 & 1963 A. Philip Randolph, 1942 & 1963

Wartime MigrationWartime Migration 19441944 invention of the invention of the mechanical cotton mechanical cotton

pickerpicker – did the work of 50 people @ 1/8 the – did the work of 50 people @ 1/8 the costcost South’s need for cheap labor disappearedSouth’s need for cheap labor disappeared Some Some 5 million black tenant farmers and 5 million black tenant farmers and

sharecroppers head northsharecroppers head north over next 3 decades over next 3 decades By 1970 By 1970 half of all blacks half of all blacks live outside the Southlive outside the South

War prompted the War prompted the exodus of Native exodus of Native AmericansAmericans from reservations from reservations 1940 1940 90% live on reservations90% live on reservations By 2000 By 2000 half lived in cities w/ many in southern half lived in cities w/ many in southern

CaliforniaCalifornia

John Daniel Rust (1892–1954) John Daniel Rust (1892–1954) inventor inventor International Harvester Corporation International Harvester Corporation

producerproducer

Federal Action and LaborFederal Action and Labor WMC WMC (War Manpower Commission) (War Manpower Commission) – –

determined which industries needed determined which industries needed manpower the mostmanpower the most

The NWLB The NWLB (National War Labor Board)(National War Labor Board) Limited wage increases Limited wage increases Allowed negotiated benefits such as paid Allowed negotiated benefits such as paid

vacations, pensions, and medical insurancevacations, pensions, and medical insurance Kept unions stable by forbidding workers to Kept unions stable by forbidding workers to

change unionschange unions

Federal Action and Labor (cont’d)Federal Action and Labor (cont’d) Union membership Union membership increases from 10 million increases from 10 million

to 13 million workers during the warto 13 million workers during the war Despite the no-strike pledges Despite the no-strike pledges of most major of most major

unions, a rash of labor walk-outs plagued the unions, a rash of labor walk-outs plagued the war effortwar effort Prominent strikers Prominent strikers United Mine Workers United Mine Workers led by led by

John L. Lewis John L. Lewis (Alabama)(Alabama) Struck in Jan. 1943 Struck in Jan. 1943 – negotiations break down– negotiations break down May 1943 May 1943 – – FDR seized the mines FDR seized the mines & threatens to & threatens to

draft the miners (miners don’t give up)draft the miners (miners don’t give up) November 1943 November 1943 – some union demands met; – some union demands met;

miners win pay raise of $1.50 per dayminers win pay raise of $1.50 per day

The Smith-Connally Anti-Strike ActThe Smith-Connally Anti-Strike Act CongressCongress worried worried the Smith-Connally the Smith-Connally

Anti-Strike ActAnti-Strike Act (June 1943) (June 1943) Authorized the government to seize and Authorized the government to seize and

operate tied-up industriesoperate tied-up industries

Montgomery Ward Montgomery Ward (refused to recognize (refused to recognize its workers’ union) – workers strikeits workers’ union) – workers strike NWLBNWLB ordered ordered Sewell Avery Sewell Avery (president) to (president) to

negotiate with the union negotiate with the union Avery ignores the order Avery ignores the order and refuses to leave and refuses to leave

– soldiers carry him out– soldiers carry him out Government ran the company Government ran the company the rest of the the rest of the

warwar

Anti New-Deal Anti New-Deal chairman, chairman, Sewell AverySewell Avery, , had to be had to be literally carried literally carried out of the out of the plant by plant by GuardsmenGuardsmen

Federal Action and Labor (cont’d)Federal Action and Labor (cont’d) The Smith-Connally Anti-Strike ActThe Smith-Connally Anti-Strike Act (cont’d) (cont’d)

Strikes against any government-operated Strikes against any government-operated industry were made criminal offensesindustry were made criminal offenses

Govt. took over coal mines and briefly the Govt. took over coal mines and briefly the railroadsrailroads

Work stoppages only accounted for less Work stoppages only accounted for less than 1% of total working hoursthan 1% of total working hours

Labor in WW2Labor in WW2 By 1944 By 1944 nearly 18 million workers labored in nearly 18 million workers labored in

war industrieswar industries More than More than 6 million were women6 million were women Reluctance at first to hire womenReluctance at first to hire women

Thought they lacked the stamina of men or Thought they lacked the stamina of men or technical understanding of machinerytechnical understanding of machinery

Thought they would be a distraction to men Thought they would be a distraction to men

Soon women were hired in record numbersSoon women were hired in record numbers Earn only 60% as much as menEarn only 60% as much as men

By war’s end By war’s end 1 out of 3 1 out of 3 workers are womenworkers are women

Labor in WW2Labor in WW2 Nearly 2 million minority workers hired Nearly 2 million minority workers hired

during the warduring the war Faced prejudice, at first, like womenFaced prejudice, at first, like women

Start of the war Start of the war 75% of defense 75% of defense contractors simply contractors simply refused to hire blacksrefused to hire blacks

After Randolph’s threat to strike FDR After Randolph’s threat to strike FDR issued issued Executive Order 8802Executive Order 8802 Banned discrimination in all government Banned discrimination in all government

agencies, job-training, and all companies agencies, job-training, and all companies doing business w/ the federal govt.doing business w/ the federal govt.

Labor in WW2Labor in WW2 FDR established the FDR established the Fair Employment Fair Employment

Practices CommitteePractices Committee to ensure equal to ensure equal treatment amongst minoritiestreatment amongst minorities At war’s end At war’s end 2 million blacks 2 million blacks held jobs in held jobs in

aircraft factories, steel mills, and shipyardsaircraft factories, steel mills, and shipyards

In the In the North and SouthNorth and South blacks enjoyed blacks enjoyed more social acceptance and economic more social acceptance and economic well-beingwell-being

Discrimination PersistedDiscrimination Persisted Armed Forces Armed Forces – – official policy official policy

have all-black soldiers or sailors commanded have all-black soldiers or sailors commanded by white officersby white officers

In the navy In the navy – blacks could only be porters– blacks could only be porters

Black soldiers on leave face segregation in Black soldiers on leave face segregation in the the SouthSouth

In the In the NorthNorth whites resent competition w/ whites resent competition w/ influx of blacks for jobs and housinginflux of blacks for jobs and housing

Japanese Americans Lose their LibertiesJapanese Americans Lose their Liberties After Pearl Harbor After Pearl Harbor US fear of a Japanese US fear of a Japanese

invasion – most invasion – most JapaneseJapanese lived in small lived in small identifiable communities along the Pacific identifiable communities along the Pacific coast (easy targets)coast (easy targets) February 1942 February 1942 defense officials labeled them “a defense officials labeled them “a

menace to be dealt with”menace to be dealt with”

FDR yields to pressure and gives FDR yields to pressure and gives War War Department Department full authority to forcibly relocate full authority to forcibly relocate thousands of thousands of Japanese families Japanese families (2/3 native-born)(2/3 native-born) 110,000 uprooted to internment camps110,000 uprooted to internment camps Had to sell homes, businesses, and most Had to sell homes, businesses, and most

possessionspossessions

Japanese InternmentJapanese Internment 1,200 petitioned FDR to be allowed to 1,200 petitioned FDR to be allowed to

serve – formed the serve – formed the 100100thth Inf. Battalion Inf. Battalion One of the most highly decorated One of the most highly decorated

19441944 Supreme Court upheld forced Supreme Court upheld forced location as location as justifiablejustifiable during war during war

19451945 families allowed to return families allowed to return 19881988 Congress votes overwhelmingly to Congress votes overwhelmingly to

formally apologize ($20,000 to each formally apologize ($20,000 to each survivor)survivor)

The National DebtThe National Debt To pay for the warTo pay for the war, the government , the government raised raised

taxestaxes with the with the Revenue Act of 1942Revenue Act of 1942 Raised the top personal-income-tax rate to 90%Raised the top personal-income-tax rate to 90% Added lower and middle-income Americans to the Added lower and middle-income Americans to the

income-tax rolesincome-tax roles

Also the government Also the government borrowed huge amounts borrowed huge amounts of money by of money by selling war bondsselling war bonds Spectacular drives Spectacular drives used movie stars and comic used movie stars and comic

book heroes such as book heroes such as Batman and Dick TracyBatman and Dick Tracy to to sell bonds and bolster patriotic spiritsell bonds and bolster patriotic spirit

The National Debt The National Debt first begins to balloon first begins to balloon because of because of World War II World War II (not New Deal)(not New Deal)

The Return of ProsperityThe Return of Prosperity US economy grew during the war:US economy grew during the war:

GNP rose GNP rose from $91.1 billion (1939) to $213.6 from $91.1 billion (1939) to $213.6 billion (1945)billion (1945)

During 1942 alone, During 1942 alone, war production rose war production rose over over 300% surpassing 300% surpassing Germany, Italy, and Japan Germany, Italy, and Japan combinedcombined

Increase in production ends the depressionIncrease in production ends the depression Farmers see a prosperity not enjoyed since WWIFarmers see a prosperity not enjoyed since WWI