Mobilization

1
Mobilization Preparing For War
2
The Depression Ends

• America is beginning to come out of the
  Depression when WWII starts
• Americans are eager to buy things
• Government has to convince people to sacrifice
  goods for the war

3
Changes in Government and the Economy

• FDR creates the Office of War Mobilization to
  oversee production
• Auto industry produces bombers
• Fords factories produce B-24 bombers using the
  assembly line
• Encouraging business
• Cost-Plus System - military pays development and
  production costs plus a percentage of the profits
• Business executives go to work for the government
  for a token salary of one dollar a year

4
Changes in Government and the Economy

• Coca-Cola sells soldiers soda for a reduced price
• Unemployment ends
• Businesses and workers agree to no strikes
• Funding the war
• 41 through income taxes
• Borrowing from banks, private investors and the
  public
• Bond drives
• Deficit spending

5
Daily Life on the Home Front

• People have money to spend but nothing to spend
  it on
• They buy paper back books
• Go to movies
• Escapist movies such as love stories, adventures
  and comedies
• Go to baseball games
• 4,000 to 5,700 players are in the military
• Start the All-American Girls Baseball League
• Buy popular music such as Praise the Lord and
  Pass the Ammunition and White Christmas

6
Daily Life on the Home Front

• Shortages and Controls
• Many items are unavailable
• Metal from zippers was used to make guns
• Rubber for girdles went into tanks and trucks
• No more, patch pockets or cuffs were allowed
• Shorter skirts were made and two-piece swimsuits
• Sugar, coffee, and meat are scarce
• FDR creates the Office of Price Administration
• They start rationing goods
• They use advertisements to promote the war effort

7
Campaigning at Home

• In a democracy the government has to maintain
  high public morale
• They tried to make rationing fun
• Government organized metal and rubber drives
• Encouraged Americans to save cooking fat for
  gunpowder
• Encourage Americans to buy war bonds