War Crime

When America entered World War I, men went off to war, and women had to step in. They were recruited to what was seen as “men’s work”, such as postal workers, factory workers, railway guards, etc. Women were finally able to go to work, but equal pay was an ongoing issue from that point on. Women started to enjoy some basic rights that male citizens enjoyed but women were once denied. Rights such as being able to work and receiving an education, but they were still shut out, completely, from political activity.

Women during World War II became warriors. They overtook and played the men’s role in their household. Before their men went overseas, the norm was for them to get married at a young age. These women started volunteering in war-related organizations in order to support war efforts. When the men left to fight, their women became proficient at things they wouldn’t have dared to do before. The war made a lot of women stronger and opened lots of doors and opportunities. They would manage their finances, be excellent housekeepers, fix cars and do handyman work.

Another way woman had positively influenced the war was through the assisting in the operation of stores and businesses. Due to all the men enlisted in the war the government came across a job shortage there were not enough men to work in stores. women jumped at the chance to help, and support their family's while they were at it. Although woman could not have jobs that required high responsibility woman could work in jobs such as secretarial positions, as clerks, cleaners, ect. This was a major stepping stone to woman proving their equality with men in society and the workplace.

December 7, 1941 was the day when America declared war, but it was also the years following that women had the chance to show their patriotism in a way they never had before; working outside of their homes. World War II was a chance to contribute to what was needed most, the war efforts. In a dire situation that is War, women moved from their homes help the America for the better of society and their husbands off at war.

Women were a massive part of the war effort during this war. The roles of your typical woman changed greatly within society. While the men were away fighting with guns, women were home fighting with newfound skills. We started to see less stay-at-home moms, and more women taking jobs that generally belonged to men over the years. Without this change in societal structure, it would not have been possible for America to produce enough to win a war as great as this. Along with joining the workforce, many women began to join the military and fight for their country, something that had not occurred very much in the past.

This policy changed however when in August 1940 Luftwaffe night-bombers accidentally dropped bombs across London, pushing Churchill to order a retaliatory raid against Berlin. This enraged Hitler and made him order his men to start intense raids on London and around it. These acts of attacking civilian positions by both sides while not specifically in the Geneva Convention at the time, is considered a war crime today with article 51-54 of Protocol I added in 1977 declaring that “directly attacking civilian targets and also using technology such as biological weapons, nuclear weapons and landmines, whose scope of destruction cannot be limited.” is a war crime. Because of these war crimes committed by the allies they did not include the “bombing of London, Warsaw and Rotterdam as a war crime” in the Nuremberg trials against the Nazis. This act of not prosicuting the Nazi’s for their bombings of allied cities in their war crime trials due to the allies committing the same acts on Axis cities shows us how the Allies did infact commit war crimes by directly bombing innocent german civilians in their raids of german

In World War 2, Germany was using the labor of prisoners which is permitted by the third Geneva Convention. The fact that they were making them work in the worst of conditions known to man and furthermore, not keeping them healthy, both in body and in mind was by definition- a war crime.

When the work opportunities began to rise for all American women during the war time, the African-American women emerged to at the fore front of the civil rights movements to demand the rights of citizenship for themselves. The World War II affected millions of people and brings a revolution in the work force and created different opportunities for women to work during the war time. Women get the opportunity to work in different fields outside the home. When men went off to battle and the shortage of manpower arises, then women played their specific role in military.

In 1920 women gained the right to vote in America which was a big step for Women’s Reform. During WWI women had taken over the jobs in America and even joined the military to help fight

Many of them went to work in American industries as there was a shortage due to the men being in Europe fighting in the war. This gave women the opportunity to gain skills in the workplace in opportunities that otherwise would not have been there. Women also entered the public eye at home by being activists for the causes that they supported. Many women which had not previously spoke out had done so during the war for the side that they supported. Women were also able to serve in roles in Europe during the war as well. They were a part of the military and were able to serve in non combat roles. Women were better off after the war than before as it was a step towards equality as women were starting to serve in similar roles to men. There were still many roles where men served that women could not, however, it was a step in the right direction as women were being entrusted with more responsibility than they had in the

In the early twentieth century, before the war began, the role of women was already changing drastically. Women were working more, gaining a better education and having fewer children. Then, during the war, women played a crucial role in aiding the war efforts. One way women assisted in the war was moving into jobs that were previously vacated by men who were drafted into the war. Women also assisted in munitions factories. These are factories that make war materials. Women could have sewed uniforms or helped make weapons. These factories were the number one employer for women during 1918. After the “introduction of conscription in 1916” women began to work in jobs that were traditional reserved for men. Employment rates for women during World War I went up from 23.6% (1914) to 46.7% (1918). Because the population of women in America benefited the war efforts greatly, in 1918, the women's suffrage amendment was passed in senate with the necessary 2/3 votes. America's involvement in the Great War led directly to the passing of the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote.

Women were expected to stay at home and not work. Even after they were allowed to work, they were limited in job selection. Men were still dominating in the workforce. However, when the Selective Service Act was passed, factories had no workers to operate the machines. Women had risen, broken through the stereotype and worked in these factories, as well as, other jobs dominated by men. According to World War One, "Overall, during the war years tens of thousands of American women joined the armed forces, over one million worked for wages in industries directly related to the war effort" (Timothy C. Dowling, 295). The Selective Service Act created a situation in which it was necessary for women to work, to ensure the survival of the soldiers. Women were seen as weak, and needed protection, but thousands of women had risked their lives by joining the armed forces voluntarily and by working in factories with explosives. However, women had ultimately protected men by providing them with the means to survive in battle. By doing so, women were essential to the Allied victory in World War I. Women were brave enough to volunteer for military service, as opposed to men who had to be drafted to fight for their country, which shows who was truly more patriotic and willing to fight. The contributions women had in WWI due to the men being drafted for duty spread the belief that women are equals to men. The passing of

1. What is a Just War? When is it justifiable for nations to used organized violence against other nations or terrorist groups?

Millions of women before 1914 had taken over jobs that men had already stereotypically done. For example, some women had newer occupations such as typists, telephonists and shop workers. A small number of women were already attending university and entering careers such as medicine and teaching. The war just accelerated this. The concept of the war, meant that women were needed, both in larger numbers and also new kinds of work.

Women played an important role in allowing the U.S. to improve its GNP before their entrance into WWI. Many women wanted to help the cause overseas, but they were not