Cartoon Analysis 3/21/2013 World War II The Home Front Learning Goals Describe the economic effects of World War II on the home front, such as the end of the Great Depression, rationing, and increased opportunity for women and minority employment Explain the home front and how American patriotism inspired exceptional actions by citizens and military personnel, including high levels of military enlistment; volunteerism; the purchase of war bonds; Victory Gardens; and opportunities and obstacles for women and ethnic minorities Analyze the function of the U.S. Office of War Information. 1
Paying for the War Government issued war bonds, encouraging citizens to buy them Sale of bonds kept currency out of the economy, keeping inflation down Displayed a high level of volunteerism, willingness to help war effort Cost of War Total Bonds Participation $350 billion $185 billion 85 million Rationing Used to control raw materials Rationing regulated the amount of goods a consumer could obtain Introduced to avoid public anger over shortages and increase war effort participation Rationing 2
Victory Gardens Encouraged citizens to grow their own food Allowed more food from farmers to go to troops 3
Where did these posters come from? In the following 5 slides, determine 1. Message of the advertisement 2. Why the message is important 3. How you think U.S. citizens reacted 4
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Office of War Information Created in 1942 by president Control of content or imagery of war messages Production of pro-allied and anti- Axis propaganda Movies, posters, radio programs, newsreels, and required that all movies produced during the war contribute to the war effort Voice of America What s the message the OWI is trying to convey? 6
Rosie the Riveter Women in the Workforce New jobs, new skills, new opportunities for women Women s Army Corps Most took clerical jobs in the military Shipbuilding and aircraft production, formerly occupied by men 1941-45 more than 6.5 million women entered the workforce 7
Executive Order 8802 Prohibited discrimination in the defense industry Millions of jobs were created to mobilize for war African Americans were often met with violence when they tried to occupy these jobs Relocation of Japanese Americans Executive Order 9066 Permitted military commanders to require Japanese Americans to move away from coastal regions to live in internment camps in the interior Racially motivated considering the was no evidence to suggest that Japanese were more likely to commit treason or sabotage than German- or Italian-Americans 8
Check for Understanding What was one of the largest changes created by the homefront of World War II? A. Immigration greatly increased during those years. B. Women s roles in society were greatly changed. C. Men moved fro D. The U.S. population vastly increased in the war years.m industry to farm production. Check for Understanding All of the following were ways the government s increase in size during the war years affected citizens' lives EXCEPT A. many products needed for the war effort were rationed B. millions of men and women were employed in the war effort C. unemployment increased from Depression era levels D. price controls throughout the war years held down inflation 9
Check for Understanding Which congressional action not only raised money for World War II but also contributed to the national debt? A. requiring employers to withhold taxes from workers paychecks B. raising income tax rates C. selling war bonds D. enacting wage and price controls Check for Understanding During World War II, the federal government used rationing to A. hold down prices of military weapons B. increase educational benefits for veterans C. increase imports of scarce products D. provide more resources for the military 10