World War II reshaped the entire world into one completely unrecognizable from the before—France and England lost their “world power” status to the two which include U.S and Russia, they redistributed their borders and territories among the victors, and the concept of democracy innovated enduringly. After the fall of institutions such as the fascist Nazism in Germany and the imperial territories in Japan, they re-confined civil rights. United States took the title as global protector of democracy, but they were fascinated and wondered why discrimination still exist even in democracy which remained right on its own doorstep with especially with two aggregation, women and African Americans, who were remained as a person to control domestic affairs. …show more content…
Before the conflict erupted, females were considered housewives, dutiful to husbands and the upkeep of the house, like cleaning, cooking, and taking care of children. However, the factories and assembly lines needed a workforce, and with most able men departing for Europe and the Pacific, women received the chance to contribute to their nation’s cause. After men returned from abroad, the ladies found it difficult to relinquish their newfound freedom—earning their own paychecks, spending money as they like, calling their own hours—and the reformations following World War II spanned decades, debatably continuing on to this day. Now women’s niches have changed considerably since the 1940’s: women make up half of the workforce, receive salaries, hold office positions, and are independent of the kitchen and house. Their influence on society has expanded
A few roles of women prior to the World War I consisted of cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children. These were the basic fundamental jobs that women were expected of women to do,” (Campbell 1) .During this time men were the sole base of the household income, and the head
However, during WWII skilled jobs previously unavailable to women started to open up because men were drafted and enlisted. Women began to learn a trade, to enlist in the military and to earn a decent living. Thanks to this, women no longer depended economically from their husbands; therefore they had a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. But this achievement didn’t last long, as soon as men came back from War women had to return home to their traditional roles. This change was one of the reasons for the Liberation Movement of the 1960’s.
Before World War II, women were expected to get married, raise kids, do housework, and obey their husbands. This all changed when World War II came around. The men were busy at war, so someone had to take over their jobs. The government considered having children across the country fill in, but society chose the women to do it instead. The government depicted work only as a necessity, only temporarily, not as a way to change a women’s rights or freedom.
The changing roles of women throughout history has been drastic, and none more so than the period during and after World War II. The irrevocable changes that occurred once the war started and women went to work were unprecedented.
The treatment of the male gender role is altogether different from that of the female gender role, and this issue has turned out to be important. Gender roles were extraordinarily changed in the 1950s, with the men returning from war and taking their occupations back. Females had, throughout World War II, taken men’s occupations while they had been away at war. After the war, numerous women needed to keep their occupations. Instead, a considerable amount of them got to be spouses and moms as the men returned from the war. For example, the male spouses were away at work for most the day while the wives would need to do a decent measure of the manual work around the house. The type of chores could have been cleaning, cooking, or other tasks the female spouses handled. These adjustments in the home might not have been viewed as positive but rather they were for women. Ladies truly advanced in the fifties with finding new openings for work and discovering their place in the world. Therefore, two articles explain further in detail about the
World War II is an event that has marked history like no other. Originating from a European struggle, war broke out in 1939 and continued for six years. From the years 1939 through 1945 more than half the earth's surface was battling in war. American society was greatly affected. People of every age, race and class were deeply affected. Women's place in society took a leap forward like it never had before. As an effect of the second world war women's traditional roles in society were drastically altered.
During WWII, the two-breadwinner vision of the family suffered further setbacks. As May puts it, women entered war production, but they did not give up on reproduction..Economic hardship was no longer a barrier to marriage, as it had been in the 1930s, and dependents' allowances eased the burdens of families if the breadwinners were drafted. But perhaps most important was the desire to solidify relationships and establish connections to the future when war made life so uncertain. (May p.59-60) While the culture venerated female workers, it also promoted a return to domesticity after the war, a return encouraged by the gender bias of the GI Bill. Meanwhile, men were encouraged through pin-ups and propaganda to believe they were fighting for their own slice of the domestic, consumerist good life.
Undeniably, the outlook of women in the workforce changed following the advent of World War II. Traditionally, the role of caretaker of the house and home was assigned to the woman. Society and institutions facilitated, accepted and supported this way of thinking and way of life. Working outside the home was considered "a man's job". A woman expressing an interest in being anything other than a homemaker and wife was frowned upon. Accepted was the notion that men are better laborers and a woman could not perform at the same level as a man and therefore are undesirable candidates for work in the office or in factories. When America entered in the Second World War, the role of women as primarily stewards of the home was forever changed. As men answered the call of duty, they left behind a void not only in the hearts of their loved ones but also in the workplace. During this time not only were vacancies found in the work that once employees turned soldiers left behind but also we witnessed an increase of labor need for specific industries, such as those that supported the wartime efforts. Women entered the workforce in droves, filling the much needed void in the offices and the factories. Women become the soldiers on the home front and once the war was over, there was no erasing the progress women made in proving capable and ready to hold gainful employment outside the home. This paper addresses women in the workforce,
Women in America have faced gender suppression for centuries. From issues such as not being able to vote, to equal wage rights, feminists and suffragettes have fought for their place in society. During World War II, women began to shape the world around them by taking jobs in large numbers, as men had to leave their jobs to enlist. This was supported through one of America’s cultural icons, Rosie the Riveter, who represented a strong, working woman. However, once the men returned at war’s end, women were fired from their jobs. While women were praised for their work, they also changed the workplace itself, helping the United States transition out of an industrial economy. Harsh factories were given a feminine, personal touch, and the women began to break out of their dull housewife lives--until the war ended. Although World War II caused only a temporary rise in women’s employment, women changed company policies and took jobs normally reserved for men, challenging their own role as subservient housewives and permanently improving employment in the businesses that they worked.
The lives of American women were significantly changed both in good ways and bad, during and after the era of World War II. Although World War II was, and still is today, considered an unforgettable tragedy, there were many benefits to the war because of the advantages it gave to women at the time. The war gave women the benefits of new occupational opportunities, fashion changes, and changes of views towards women. However, amidst all these benefits, their lives were affected in some bad ways as well, such as the cause of family life hardships, constant labor, and loss of occupations after the war.
Historically, wartime has always brought upon big changes for the lives of citizens in warring nations. Wars are often major points in a country’s history, catalyzing progression toward societal changes. In World War II, this was true for every nation involved. Specifically, America underwent many major changes in tradition after World War II ravaged the world. Although Americans did not experience firsthand the destruction of their homeland like their European counterparts, the events of World War II did drastically transform America. One of the most major changes brought to the U.S. by World War II was the change to women’s role in society. Traditionally, women in America were not seen as a group of people who were supposed to be working;
World War II caused a shift in the gender roles and stereotypes. While some countries saw progress: United States, France, Britain, Italy and the Soviet Union, others oppressed women: Germany and Japan. In countries like the United States and Britain, women began joining the workforce and the military. French women fought for the Resistance against Germany when the Germans occupied France. Even though Italy was allied with Germany and a Nazi country, many women resisted fascism and assisted Jewish people. Many Soviet women flew fighter planes, some of the first women to do so. Japanese women were required to work in poor conditions. German women were restricted from doing many things and even paid to marry and have
Although women of minority and lower class always worked, World War II became a changing point for all women. Before World War II, women in America weren’t viewed as anything more than domesticated housewives. When men doubted their ability to lead, women took charge and took over the roles many men were unable to fulfill. As World War II progressed, they began to fill military positions such as building equipment in factories, nurse corps, and auxiliary services and non-military positions such as clerical, managerial, and factory jobs. I believe it was the beginning of a new era for Caucasian, African American, Native American, and Japanese women across the United States because despite some hostility, racism, and stereotyping, women were among the most important recipients of wartime modifications.
Throughout history, women have helped shaped social, economic and political areas of society, many woman playing their part in paving the way for the equality of future women. The 1920’s sparked major changes of a woman’s role in society and her effect on the economy and government, due to the conflict during the first world war. However, this change only applied to a minority of women being those who were white and of the middle and upper class as history changes for many but never all. In the 1920’s, women found greater independence and defied the social normalities of the past.
In this article, PBS explores the role of women post World War II and their assimilation into the workforce. When World War II began, the men overseas left the women to take over their jobs in the workforce. But as success on the war front proved to be significant, the men returned home and expected the women to return to their housework, leaving the business to the men. It was this development that made World War II a turning point as women fought for their equality to work and prove their ability it to the same capacity. Overall, the return of the male figure of superiority and strength sparked a revolutionary change in the cultural acceptance of rigid gender roles.