WW II: The Home Front

1. WW II: The Home Front

2. Lend-Lease Act (1941) • Authorized president to lend or lease arms and equipment to nations whose defense he considered vital to U.S. • Primarily designed to help Great Britain • Extended to Soviet Union later that year Atlantic Charter(1941) Secret meeting between FDR and Churchill War aims and common principles

3. Lend-Lease Act

4. “Day of Infamy” December 7, 1941

5. Funeral service after Pearl Harbor attack

6. Internment Camps Japanese-Americans • anti-Japanese hysteria swept across USA • Americans believed Japanese Americans and Immigrants..security risk to the U.S. Nisei – Japanese born in America (citizens) Issei – Born in Japan (immigrants) Executive Order 9066 • Feb. 1942 – FDR issues executive Order 9066 • All people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast were to be relocated to American prison camps • WRA – War Relocation Authority forced people to “internment camps” • Japanese-American property loss $400 million – allowed two suitcases and one duffel bag brought to camps • 127,000 people relocated between 1942-1945 • Barbed wire camps in desert (remote areas) • Armed guards

9. Was this Constitutional? • Supreme Ct. said it was appropriate • Military emergency • Risk to National Security • Not based on racial profiling • 1988 U.S. government apologizes • Each survivor given tax free $20,000 • 9/11???????? GITMO

11. Economic Impact • No More Depression • Retooling industry • • U.S. Produces twice as much as Axis powers • • Unemployment drops drastically • •War production pulls America out of the Depression • • 1945 - 300,000 planes, 100,000 tanks, 2,600 ships, 6 million rifles, • billion rounds of ammo • – 1942 Auto production stopped • – From 1903-40 US companies produced 75k planes • » In 1942 FDR asked for 60k planes • – Liberty Ships (produced in 4½ days) Era of industrial cooperation • – B-17 made by several companies with men at war we needed a workforce • – Provided great opportunity for women and minorities

12. FDR gives the government more power • Size of federal Government triples during WWII • Office of War Mobilization (OWM) • Coordinated move from peacetime economy to war time economy • In charge of overseeing Nation’s war production WPB • War Production Board (WPB) • Directed the conversion of factories to war time production • Tanks, planes, ammunition etc • All car production stopped • cars rationed

13. 􀂄 Paying for the War • Taxes to Beat the Axis • Middle and lower class income taxes raised – 10X more than before war • War Bonds • Gov. sells war bonds to raise $ • $186 billion raised • National Debt Soars

14. The Draft • Selective Service Act changed • 18-37 draft ages • 15 million men drafted • 300 women volunteer • Nurses, secretaries, pilots, drivers, etc.

15. At Home relationships impacted quick weddings – Gold Star Mothers – Many lose multiple family members » Sullivans, 􀂄

16. Office of Civilian Defense • 12 million volunteers to ensure security at home • White Helmets/White Arm Bands • Aircraft Identification • Blackout/Block Wardens • Stored sandbags, flashlights, helmets, buckets, and hoses in the event of an air raid • Organized scrap drives & recycling

17. Women 􀂄 Government reclassified 55% of jobs to allow women to work – By 1943 every single woman employed » Rosie the Riveter 􀂄 When single women fully employed, married women join force – Companies recognize burden, provide many services (child care, shopping, food services) Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) – Led by Jackie Cochran – Women test and transport planes from factory to the airbases » Free up men for the front Nursing Corps – Primary military role Results Women taste independence – Many desire to stay on job Baby Boom

18. Rationing… starts 1943 – Families issued ration books – Provide 40% of vegetables consumed at home - Victory Gardens feed those at home 􀂄 - recycling efforts – Metal, rubber, nylon - All buy War Bonds Hollywood shines

19. Rationing Office of Price Administration (OPA) • OPA responsible for food and good distribution in short supply • Prevent Inflation • Americans forced to ration goods on home front to make sure soldiers were well supplied • Gas Rationing • Gas ration books • • Gasoline, kerosene, tires (rubber), coffee, • sugar, meat, butter, canned goods, • chocolate, cigarettes, etc. • Food Rationing • • Food Ration Books – Once a month • • Red Points – meat, fish, dairy products • • 2lbs. Meat a week • • Blue Points – Canned and processed goods

20. Social Effects American Propaganda • Gov. wanted to keep morale high on the home front • People were bombarded with pro-U.S. and anti- Axis propaganda • Gov. influenced every aspect of American life Office of War information (OWI) 1 • Encouraged patriotism, rationing, conservation, and work • Victory Gardens – backyards/empty lots • Recycling – paper, metal, food fats • Media and Hollywood support the war effort – Movies, songs, posters, radio, cartoons, etc

24. Entertainment • Linked “home” to those who were overseas • The radio had long been a staple in the U.S. household • – Talk shows, music, soap opera, mysteries, quiz shows, sports news • Movies were the great escape • – War movies, Comedies, Newsreels

25. Entertainment 1941- USO – United Service Organization – Established as Soldiers Home Away from Home - 3000 clubs – Stars would flock to the clubs and travel to entertain » Bob Hope Music- Big Band – Forerunner of Be-Bop/ R&B – Made us feel good – Glen Miller dies while on USO tour

26. Impact still felt today Housing Boom – Tract housing (small 1 level ranch) – Architecture becomes simple – VA Loans= Soldiers buy homes GI Bill = Soldiers go to college

30. Other Issues 􀂄 1941 introduction of Penicillin – Dr Alexander Fleming – Designed to reduce infection from war wounds – Revolutionized medicine 􀂄 Civil Air Patrol (CAP) – Formed Dec 1941 – Duties to patrol coast/ search and rescue for downed aircraft – 18 months of patrol 24 mil miles, spotted 173 U - Boats, located 363 survivors of ship wrecks or air crashes