World War II: World War II: The Home FrontThe Home Front

Table of ContentsTable of Contents PropagandaPropaganda

• Women on the Home Front

• Japanese American Internment

• Rationing

• Home Front Defense

PropagandaPropaganda

Demonizing the enemyDemonizing the enemyBoosting moraleBoosting moraleEncouraging support of wartime Encouraging support of wartime

measuresmeasuresRecruitmentRecruitmentVigilance and paranoiaVigilance and paranoia

Demonizing Demonizing the Enemythe Enemy

Who do you think Who do you think “You and I” refers to?“You and I” refers to?

What might the What might the boot symbolize?boot symbolize?

What do What do each of each of the snakes the snakes symbolizesymbolize? ?

How do How do you know?you know?

Why do you think Why do you think this snake is coiled this snake is coiled around the other? around the other?

What might this What might this symbolize? symbolize?

Why do you think Why do you think this snake is the this snake is the only one striking only one striking out at the boot?out at the boot?

In your opinion, what does “Beat In your opinion, what does “Beat Your Promise” refer to?Your Promise” refer to?

What might the frog What might the frog symbolize? symbolize?

Why do you think it has Why do you think it has a bandage on its chin?a bandage on its chin?

What is the What is the primary message primary message this poster is this poster is trying to convey?trying to convey?

Women on the Home FrontWomen on the Home Front

Thousands of women entered the Thousands of women entered the work force work force

Many took on jobs traditionally held Many took on jobs traditionally held by menby men

U.S. government encouraged women U.S. government encouraged women to move out of the householdto move out of the household

Women in Women in the Work the Work

ForceForce

“Train the women to help make planes,

Uncle Sam”—The Women’s Bureau urges

Women should be paid the same

rates as men when their jobs

are the same

Teamwork—One girl bucks

the rivets, another drives

them in

Let’s examine the individual photos and captions in this poster:

Women are well adapted to

installation work

A welder—Training makes women skilled

workers

She does her bit “down and

under”

Where patience is a virtue and a

necessity, too

Keep ‘em sewing—fancy

work on a bomber’s tail

They have a good time

doing a good job

What ideas are these captions trying to get What ideas are these captions trying to get across? across?

1.1. ““Train the women to help make planes, Uncle Train the women to help make planes, Uncle Sam”—The Women’s Bureau urgesSam”—The Women’s Bureau urges

2.2. Women should be paid the same rates as men when Women should be paid the same rates as men when their jobs are the sametheir jobs are the same

3.3. Teamwork—One girl bucks the rivets, another drives Teamwork—One girl bucks the rivets, another drives them inthem in

4.4. Women are well adapted to installation workWomen are well adapted to installation work

5.5. A welder—Training makes women skilled workersA welder—Training makes women skilled workers

6.6. She does her bit “down and under”She does her bit “down and under”

7.7. Where patience is a virtue and a necessity, tooWhere patience is a virtue and a necessity, too

8.8. Keep ‘em sewing—fancy work on a bomber’s tailKeep ‘em sewing—fancy work on a bomber’s tail

9.9. They have a good time doing a good jobThey have a good time doing a good job

Who created this poster? Who created this poster? How can you tell?How can you tell?

Do you think this poster fit with the mission of the Women’s Bureau?

Who do you think was Who do you think was the intended audience the intended audience for this poster? for this poster?

Why do you suppose Why do you suppose the creators of this the creators of this poster chose to title it poster chose to title it “More and More Women “More and More Women Work on Aircraft”? Work on Aircraft”?

Japanese American InternmentJapanese American Internment

Pearl Harbor led many to see Japanese Pearl Harbor led many to see Japanese Americans as potential spies and saboteursAmericans as potential spies and saboteurs

FDR issued Executive Order 9066FDR issued Executive Order 9066 Japanese Americans “evacuated” to Japanese Americans “evacuated” to

internment campsinternment camps Manzanar, located in the Owens valley in Manzanar, located in the Owens valley in

California’s high desertCalifornia’s high desert Many internees lost their homes and Many internees lost their homes and

businessesbusinesses

EvacuationEvacuation

What type of a What type of a shop is this? How shop is this? How can you tell?can you tell?

What can you What can you deduce about the deduce about the shop’s owners shop’s owners and its and its customers?customers?

Where was this Where was this shop located? shop located? How can you tell?How can you tell?

What is the most likely What is the most likely reason for why the shop reason for why the shop is closing?is closing?

What does “We won’t What does “We won’t take it to Owens Valley take it to Owens Valley for U” mean?for U” mean?

InternmentInternment

How would you How would you characterize the characterize the scene shown here?scene shown here?

Does it appear Does it appear orderly or chaotic? orderly or chaotic?

This is a picture of Japanese Americans arriving at the Manzanar relocation camp.

Let’s use Let’s use vertical lines vertical lines to isolate the to isolate the different different people in the people in the photo.photo.

Take a look at the Take a look at the woman on the left woman on the left side of the photo. side of the photo.

What is her job? What is her job? How can you tell?How can you tell?

What ethnicity does What ethnicity does she appear to be?she appear to be?

What is she holding What is she holding in her hand? in her hand?

Do you think she Do you think she came on the bus with came on the bus with the others? Why or the others? Why or why not?why not?

What do you think What do you think

she is doing hereshe is doing here??

Take a look at the Take a look at the man in the photo. man in the photo.

How is he dressed? How is he dressed? Does he appear to Does he appear to be lower class, be lower class, middle class, or middle class, or wealthy?wealthy?

What does he What does he appear to have in appear to have in his hands? his hands?

Take a look at the Take a look at the woman and children woman and children in the center-right in the center-right portion of the photo.portion of the photo.

How are they How are they dressed? Do they dressed? Do they appear to be lower appear to be lower class, middle class, class, middle class, or wealthy?or wealthy?

What does the What does the woman appear to be woman appear to be doing?doing?

Take a look at Take a look at the girl on the the girl on the right side of right side of the photo. the photo.

How is she How is she dressed? dressed?

Does she Does she appear to be appear to be lower class, lower class, middle class, middle class, or wealthy?or wealthy?

How would you How would you characterize the characterize the expressions of the expressions of the different people in the different people in the photo?photo?

• The girl

How do you think you would feel if you were in their place? What thoughts might go through your head as you arrived in Manzanar?

• The nurse

• The man• The women and children

RationingRationing

Many products in short supply during Many products in short supply during the warthe war

Office of Price Administration Office of Price Administration institutes rationing, price ceilingsinstitutes rationing, price ceilings

Government encourages Government encourages conservation and other measures conservation and other measures such as “Victory Gardens”such as “Victory Gardens”

““Victory Victory Gardens”Gardens”

What is this poster What is this poster advertising?advertising?

What is the company What is the company offering for those who offering for those who create the best victory create the best victory gardens? gardens?

Why do you think the Why do you think the company selected the company selected the prizes it did instead of prizes it did instead of simple cash rewards? simple cash rewards?

Why might this Why might this company have spent company have spent money to acquire money to acquire fertile land, keep it fertile land, keep it plowed and fertilized, plowed and fertilized, and buy savings and buy savings bonds and war bonds and war stamps as prizes?stamps as prizes?

Home Front DefenseHome Front Defense German U-boats sank U.S. merchant ships in German U-boats sank U.S. merchant ships in

the Atlantic—sometimes within sight of the the Atlantic—sometimes within sight of the American coastAmerican coast

Fear that Germans could land spies on the East Fear that Germans could land spies on the East coastcoast

Fear of Japanese bombings on the West coastFear of Japanese bombings on the West coast

• Coastal defenses strengthened• Coast Guard

• Beach patrols

• Forts recommissioned

Coastal DefensesCoastal Defenses

This is a picture from Fort Russell, on the west coast of Oregon.

You can see the “ll” of “Russell” in the upper left part of the photo.

The larger sign has three distinct sections. What does each one say?

• What does the smaller of the two signs say?

• What do you see in the background of the photo?

What does “sons of heaven” refer to?What does “sons of heaven” refer to?What do the other three lines refer to?What do the other three lines refer to?

Why might this line have been written Why might this line have been written larger than the other words on the sign?larger than the other words on the sign?

Who do you think created this sign? Why Who do you think created this sign? Why might they have created it?might they have created it?

Who do you think was the intended Who do you think was the intended audience for the sign?audience for the sign?