World War II World War II On the HomefrontOn the Homefront

On the HomefrontOn the Homefront

• United States success in World War II required the total commitment of the nation’s resources.

• Public education and the mass media promoted nationalism

United States United States ResourcesResources

US ResourcesUS Resources

• U.S. government and industry worked together to distribute resources

• Office of War Mobilization created to control resources

Economic Economic ResourcesResources

Economic ResourcesEconomic Resources

• Rationing maintained a steady supply of materials for war

• War bonds and income tax were used for financing the war

Economic ResourcesEconomic Resources

• Business was retooled from peacetime to wartime production

Human ResourcesHuman Resources

Human ResourcesHuman Resources

• More women and minorities entered the labor force

• Citizens volunteered in support of the war effort

WomenWomen

• Replaced men who went to serve in the military (e.g., Rosie the Riveter).

• They participated in non-combat military roles

African-AmericansAfrican-Americans• Double V Campaign

–Victory in war and victory in equality at home

–Demanded an end to segregation in military

Military ResourcesMilitary Resources

• The draft/selective service was used to provide personnel for the military

Role of Media and Role of Media and Mass Mass

CommunicationsCommunications

Role of the MediaRole of the Media• Media and communications

assisted the gov’t in supporting the war

• U.S. government maintained strict censorship of reporting of the war–Censorship: blocking certain

materials from being published

Role of the MediaRole of the Media

• Hollywood produced movies, plays, and shows that boosted morale and patriotism

• Portrayed the enemy in stereotypical ways

Political, economic Political, economic and social and social

consequences of the consequences of the warwar

Legacy Of WWIILegacy Of WWII

1. Massive destruction and death

2. End of Allied cooperation and beginning of “Cold War” – political tensions

Legacy Of WWIILegacy Of WWII

3. US and Soviet Unions are only superpower countries

4. Atomic fallout – all countries rushed to get atomic bomb

Legacy Of WWIILegacy Of WWII

5. US troops permanently stationed around the world

6. US will maintain a standing army in peacetime

Legacy Of WWIILegacy Of WWII

7. Germany (and Berlin) divided into 4 military zones

• each zone controlled by one of the 4 major Allied powers