WWII and the Homefront

Increased Gov’t Control

National War Labor Board- allowed negotiation over benefits, but no strikes allowed

Office of Price Administration- regulated civilian life (fought inflation, rationed food, etc)

War Production Board- Manage war industries: rationed fuel and other vital war supplies

Office of War Mobilization- set production priorities Dept. of Treasury- Financing the war

Increased income tax Sold war bonds

Office of Scientific Research and Development-sonar, penicillin, atom bomb

People at Home

Women- 6 million of 18 million factory workers were women 200,000 served in noncombatant roles WAC- Women’s Auxillary Corp WASP- Women’s Airforce Service Pilots

General Douglas MacArthur caled the WACs “my best soldiers,” adding that they worked harder, complained less, and were better disciplined than the men.

War involvement helped advance the position of women in society

African Americans

2nd Great Migration? African-Americans moved north for jobs (1.5

million!) 1 million served in armed forces, segregated units Double V Slogan-V for Victory at war, V for Victory

for Equality! 1943 Detroit and NYC Riots against African

American workers

Mexican Americans

Worked in defense industries 300,000 served in armed forces Mexico and America’s governments made

immigration deals-few restrictions. Mexican migrant workers came North to work.

• led to riots b/w White sailors against Mexican Americans in LA, known as Zoot Suit Riots

Native Americans

Code Talkers 25,000 served- changed landscape of

reservations sent messages to Pacific theatre in Navajo-a

complex, unwritten language-undecipherable 540 Navajo actively participated in code talking Took part in every offensive US launched in

Pacific from 1942-1945 “Were it not for the Navajo code talkers, we would

never have been able to take Iwo Jima”-Major Howard Connor, 5th Marine Division

Japanese-American Internment, 1942 Executive Order 9066: Anyone who looked lived in

California/Oregon/Washington who looked East Asian was rounded up into camps.

110,000 people were relocated, the majority of them born in America (some had even served in the army)

Aerial view of a Japanese Internment camp

1988 Legislation

Japanese American Reparation Act Signed by Reagan $20,000 given to each surviving detainee 1990 President Bush Sr. signed a formal

apology to Japanese Americans

War Propaganda- Even better than before!

Rosie the Riveter- A Cultural Icon

A Gold Star on a service flag signifies a family member who has died in war.

Re-election…AGAIN!

53% popular vote, FDR elected for 4th term in 1944

Health was already failing (high blood pressure led to organ failure)

Died April 12, 1945 Left V.P. Harry S. Truman to end the war