World War II: And the Home Front

1
World War II And the Home Front

• "But there is one front and one battle where
  everyone in the United States - every man, woman,
  and child - is in action? That front is right
  here at home,in our daily lives."- Franklin
  Delano Roosevelt, 1942

2
Before Pearl Harbor

• FDR prepared US against possibility of war with
  Germany
• New Deal had created strong centralized Federal
  Government (WPA, CCC, TVA)
• Cash and Carry
• Lend Lease

3
After Pearl Harbor What did we need?

• A huge army must be drafted
• Massive amounts of arms and ammunition needed to
  be produced
• The army needed uniforms, supplies, and food
• The army needed transportation
• World War II Ended the Great Depression

4
Who would serve in the armed forces? And in what
roles? The selective service act of 1940 ordered
all men, 18-30 to register for a draft. War ended
the Great Depression!

• The armed forces are segregated.
• Units of African Americans, Asians, Native
  Americans and Hispanics serve separately from
  units which are white
• Officers are usually white.
• Minority units often serve in less prestigious
  support roles

5
Minority leaders call for equality

• A. Philip Randolph organizes a March on
  Washington.
• Roosevelt issues executive order 8802 requiring
  equal pay in war industries

6
WW II offers minorities an opportunity to demand
equality
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Courage in Battle

• The Tuskeegee Airmen prove they can fly fighter
  jets and earn international respect
• The Navaho code talkers become famous for their
  ability to code breakers
• The fighting ability of Hispanic and Asian units
  such as the 442nd earn them new status and honor.

8
If so many men were in the army, who would
produce all the supplies? Women are asked to
step in to fill the gap.
9
The symbol of the strength, determination and
courage of all these women is called Rosie the
Riveter.
10
8 Million women enter the workforce WW II ends
the Great Depression
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They build battleships and bombers.
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They fly transport and supply planes
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How will we keep the morale of our soldiers up
when they are far from home?

• USO centers will provide free entertainment to
  the troops overseas
• V-mail will let us write to our friends and
  relatives

14
Where will all the raw materials for the army
come from?

• Home cooking oil, fat and grease are saved to be
  recycled into explosives
• New fashions use less fabric so the saved fabric
  can be used in uniforms
• No nylon stockings!
• Canned food comes in glass jars so the metal can
  be saved

15
Children Help Too
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Look at the poster behind these school boys.
What do you notice?
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Every scrap of metal and rubber is needed for our
weapons

• Children collect all kinds of metal to recycle
  tin cans, old garden tools, even old cooking pots
• Rubber boots, hoses, old tires, even rubber bands
  are saved
• Paper can be recycled too!

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How will the army be fed?

• Food and gas rationing at home make sure no one
  uses supplies needed by the army and everyone
  gets their fair share.
• Everyone who can works to grow their own
  vegetables so the farm produce can be saved for
  the army.
• These are called Victory Gardens.

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Victory Gardens If we grow for our homes,
farmers can grow for our armed forces.
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How will we pay for all the weapons, ammunition
and men?

• Taxes will go up.
• People at home will loan their money to the
  government to finance the war
• These loans are called liberty bonds.

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Will we be safe if most of the men are away
fighting?

• Older men and disabled men will serve in the
  Civil Defense at home.
• They enforce rationing
• They maintain watch against air raids
• They watch for spying and sabotage
• They organize paper, rubber, and scrap metal
  drives.

22
Was there prejudice against German Americans and
Japanese Americans?

• Yes, but more against Japanese Americans than
  German Americans

23
Internment Camps

• After the surprise or sneak attack on Pearl
  Harbor, many feared spying and sabotage.
• As a result, executive order 9066 forced
  thousands of West Coast Japanese Americans out of
  their homes and into internment or prison camps
  away from the Pacific Coast.

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Manzanar Relocation Camp

• Camps were located far from the West Coast
• For 4 years 112,000 Japanese Americans were
  interned in camps like this with no trial and no
  right of appeal.
• The US government formally apologized and offered
  small reparation payments to interned citizens in
  1987.

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Some were in internment camps but others served
in the armed forces

• The 442nd Army Regiment was one of the most
  decorated of WW II
• Its members fought in many capacities front line
  combat, translating, nursing, etc.