The United States in WW2: Mobilizing for Defense Chapter 17, Section 1 Notes
Dec 31, 2015
Objectives:
• Explain how the US expanded its armed forces in WW2
• Describe the wartime mobilization of industry, labor, scientists, and the media
• Trace the efforts of the US govt. to control the economy and deal with subversion
Americans Join the War Effort
• After Pearl Harbor, Americans jammed recruiting offices• Remember Pearl Harbor!• 5 million volunteers
• Selective Service System• Expanded the draft• 10 million more soldiers to meet demand• Eight weeks of training
Expanding the Military
• Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC)• Created by Army Chief of Staff General
George Marshall• Women volunteers serve in non-combat
positions
• Nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, and pilots
• 350,000 women served
Diversity in the Armed Forces
• Despite racial tension, minorities made dramatic contributions to the armed forces• Mexican-Americans, African-Americans,
Asian-Americans, and Native Americans
• 1 million African Americans served• Served in segregated units and limited to
noncombat roles until 1943
A Production Miracle
• Automobile plants were retooled to produce tanks, planes, boats, and command cars.• End of private automobile production
• Factories were quickly converted to war production
• Production occurred at record breaking speeds
• Henry Kaiser produced Liberty ships in 40 days• Using “prefab” parts
Labor’s Contribution
• Despite the draft, nearly 18 million workers were laboring in war industries
• 6 million of these workers were women• Earned less and could operate machines
• “Rosie the Riveter” campaign• Encourage women to join workforce
Labor’s Contribution
• Defense plants also hired minorities• Faced strong prejudice at first
• African-American Labor Leader A. Philip Randolph proposed a march on Washington to fight discrimination
• FDR issued an executive order calling on employers to hire without discrimination
Mobilization of Scientists
• FDR created the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD)• To bring scientists into the war effort
• Improvements in radar and sonar• Miracle Drugs like penicillin• Secret development of the atomic bomb
• The Manhattan Project – code name
Economic Controls
• FDR created the Office of Price Admin.• Fought inflation by freezing prices
• Raised the income tax• Up to 88% in the highest bracket!
• War Production Board• Convert industries• Allocated raw materials• Organized drives to collect scrap iron, tin
cans, and paper to recycle into war goods
Rationing
• Rationing – establishing fixed allotments of goods deemed essential for the military
• Homes received ration books with coupons to buy goods• Meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, and gas
• Americans accepted rationing as their personal contribution to the war effort• Workers carpooled or rode bicycles