Chapter 20 Sec. 1 Mobilizing for War The War dramatically change American society—it ended the Great Depression. “The industrial output of the US during the war astounded the rest of the world. American workers were twice as productive as German workers and five times more productive than Japanese worker.”
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Chapter 20 Sec. 1Mobilizing for War
The War dramatically change American society—it ended the
Great Depression.
“The industrial output of the US during the war astounded the rest of
the world. American workers were twice as productive as German
workers and five times more productive than Japanese worker.”
American Industry Gets the Job Done• 600,000 Jeeps
• 88,000 tanks
• 7000 ships—liberty ships (welded not riveted)Cheap, easy to build and hard to sink
• 20 million rifles
• 40 billion bullets
• 43 million men drafted
• As well as mines, helmets, cooking utensils, airplanes and scores of other military equipment
The War Production Board-
You’re in the Army Now
• Over 40 million men were drafted. First given physical exams and injections against smallpox and typhoid. They were issued uniforms, boots, and whatever equipment was available. The clothing bore the label GI meaning Government Issue. Which is why American soldiers were called GIs. Then they were giving aptitude tests and shipped off to 8 weeks of basic training.
• The “Great Migration” continued with African Americans continuing with their migration to the North to take industrial jobs –again meeting with discrimination and sometime resulting in violence.
Zoot Suit Riots
• Racism also reared its ugly head in other places as well as with other nationalities.
• Mexican Americans and juvenile crime became linked because of a zoot suit.
• Upon hearing rumors that Mexican American teenagers had attacked sailors in California, 2,400 soldiers and sailors attacked Mexican American neighborhoods in LA. The attacked teenagers, but their hair, tore off their zootsuits. The police stood by as the violence continued for days. In the end the Zoot suit was banned.
• Despite discrimination, over 500,000 Hispanic Americans served in WWII with distinction.
Rations
• Rationing was common practice in order to conserve.
• Meat, sugar, gasoline and rubber were restricted.