Women's Role In Ww2 Essay

“During the war about half of American women worked outside of their homes,”( Hughes 2). The number of working women rose from fourteen point six million in nineteen forty one to nineteen point four million in nineteen forty four. “Women were not just motivated by wages or patriotism; but buy the feeling of independence that they gained from the work,” (Hughes 2). Without women laborers the US economy would have never been able to produce military hardware to be successful in the war. Even though women played a huge role in the work force during the World War II, they also played an even bigger role in the war itself. Women played several different roles in the actual war. “A few of women’s roles in the actual war of World War II would be army nurses, spies, pilots and entertainers,” (Scott3). Women served as army nurses during World War 11, there were than seven thousand active nurses on duty when the United States entered the war. “Women also served as pilots, on September tenth nineteen forty two, Nancy Harkness Love, with the support of th U.S. Air Transport Command, organized twenty five women pilots into the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (W.A.F.S),” (Scott3). Women pilots were used to serve non- combat flights, to free the men for combat flights. “Women spies of the World WarII , they were often successful and unsuspected since people suspected women that women’s properly roles were solely domestic,” (Scott3). Lastly

Just like the military, employers reluctantly welcomed women into the defense industry. In fact, women became the objects of half truth propaganda campaigns advertised on posters and newsreels which persuaded women to serve their government so that they would help end the war sooner (DuBois and Dumenil 548-49). For example, in visual source Figure 9.5 “Mrs. Casey Jones,” the Pennsylvania Railroad displays an advertisement with a woman walking from a train wearing overalls and carrying a wrench and hammer exclaiming that “Casey’s gone to war…so Mrs. Jones is working the railroad” (DuBois and Dumenil 575). Once again the great demand for labor created new opportunities for women joining this area of the job market for the first time.

When The World War II came quickie marriages was the all out norm for people for the men that was going overseas and fighting during that day and age . As the men fought the women went to work and volunteered for organizations . The women volunteered for the Women's army Auxiliary Corps , The Navy Women's Reserve , and others. But Rosie The Riveter was an assurance that everything would be alright and women's role will change forever .

The country had no choice but to have the women in the factories. They needed their help and were not going to complain about it. They knew with extra hands that, that was going to be an easier way to win the war. The government called on to the women and without hesitation, they went. They answered to whatever work that needed to be done. They worked a 52 hour week at 68 cents per hour. They were all prepared and knew that their “summer jobs” would end soon. There work dominated their nights and days. Most of their work was outdoors as well. Even though some women would much rather be at home helping there families other ways they still managed to get their other job complete as well.

I feel that World War II had a dramatic and positive impact on women, and their role in United States society. During World War II, male military enlistment left a huge gap in the industrial labor force, and so by 1945, thirty seven percent of the workforce were women. Over six million women started working, and for the first time in history, married working women outnumbered single working women. Nearly one out of every four married women worked outside the home.

I will start by looking at what the women did in the war. Women were pleased by the outbreak of the war because this meant they could prove themselves and even get suffrage at the end of it all. Women thought this was a patriotic duty and wanted to prove they were indispensable. So many men had been called away to fight that women were needed to do their jobs. As a result,

It started with an idea. Ernest Bevin, the British government Minister for Labor, declared that 1 million women were needed for war work. In December 1941 parliament passed the National Service Act. All unmarried women who were of the ages 20-30, which was later changed to 19-43, now had to either join the army, work in a factory or work with the women’s land army (an organization formed in 1917, which had women farm the land to make more food for the army). For some women, this was a dream come true. It was a chance for them to finally make a difference in the war. For others, it was the last thing they ever wanted to

Evan though women were not allowed to join the fighting and the battle, they were very much a part of the war. Some even went overseas to help as nurses for the wounded soldiers; other stayed at home and took the jobs million men left behind when they went to fight. Women were very busy during that time. They took jobs that were only given to men because they had to. Mothers encouraged their sons to join the fight and come home as heroes, and other women sent of brothers and fathers. They never knew if or when they will return. In America the war was fought by both sexes, the men fought the battle and the women kept them alive by helping at home. Providing food, clothes, and doing other jobs however they could.

Eventually, albeit not right away, military leaders began to realize the necessity of utilizing women in the armed services. While not drafted, branches of military created women’s corps to free men to fight in the actual combat. More than 275,000 American women

Around 350,000 women served in the U.S Armed Forces, both at home and abroad. Between 1940 and 1945, the female percentage of U.S workforce increased from 27% to nearly 37 % (History.com Staff). Women had been waiting for an opportunity to show what had been suppressed. The idea of introducing a women’s service branch into the army ignited many women to join and to finally be a part of something significant. As women were now in armed forces they secured a position for themselves that was entitled to men. In the Navy, members of Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), held the same status as men. Women in the Women’s Air force Service Pilots (WASPS) became the first to fly American military aircraft. How were these women able to be defiant against what was socially acceptable? A factor that had persuaded many women was Rosie the Riveter. Rosie the Riveter was a patriotic campaign that emphasized the need for women to enter the workforce. The Rosie the Riveter propaganda campaign became one of the most successful recruitment tool in America as women represented 65% of the U.S aircraft industry by 1943 (History.com Staff). Despite the success women had provided during the war, their capabilities were still questioned as the ideology of women was still instilled in the

The WWII started when Japanese warplanes attacked America's Hickam Field ,Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.The surprise attack left the nation stunned as president Roosevelt called the United States to war.( http://www.u-s-history.com/)American men left their jobs to go to war leaving a gaping hole in the labor force . Rosie the Riveter motivated women to enter the workforce. Rosie the Riveter star of the government campaign her purpose to inspire females to work for the munitions industry. She became the most iconic image of working women during the war. Magazine used titles like “Women, you could hasten victory by working and save your man”.The magazine war guide recommended that all published magazines participate in a “women at work cover’’(www.history.com).

Just like World War I as soon as World War II started millions of men were to leave their homes to go to fight in battles overseas. This left a mass labor gap in the workforce. In order to back fill this gap in the workforce, the women of America took over jobs all over the country. The American government started producing posters to encourage eligible women to join

During this time it was very difficult for women. Their job or status quo kept on being switched because of the war. The men needed to fight so the women took on their roles. They were successful at what they did. Even after the war with everything they fought for during the war at home, they were just shoved back to how things were.

One of the biggest successes of women soldiers was informing people that women could fight in the war. This happened because a lot of women were caught and discharged from the war, so the press just couldnt ignore that. The sad part to this is the fact that the government denied the fact that they had any real records of who were and who weren't women, actually no they lied to the gazette that sent them the letter asking.As a result, the women soldiers had one major success informing the public that women could help fight the war instead of just being nurses and running the

Women are dedicated to fulfilling their combat roles. They never gave up and they struggle a lot to keep up with the men. Even when they were doubted. All that dedication led Women to higher roles. They got more respect from men also.(Women in the military)