The impact of the War

The impact of the War Chapter 25 Section 4

Objective & Do Now Objective • To understand the impact the war had on people at home (US) Do Now: • Was WWII a “good” and/or “just” war? Back up your opinion.

I Opportunity & Adjustment • The nation emerged as the world’s dominant econ. And mil. power

A. Economic Gains • Defense industries boomfall of unemployment during war • Paychecks rise ppl saving $ for the future • Farmers prosper • Women enjoyed employment during war but lost their jobs to returning vets • Took advantage of war time vacancies to challenge traditional women work

Population Shifts • War triggers one of largest mass migrations in Amer. History • Ppl begin to move families to find war work in other areas • States w/ military bases and defense industries saw rise in pop • Inevitable result in mass pop shifthousing shortage

C. Social Adjustments • As fathers left for war and women increasingly left to work outside the home  ppl became accustomed to leaving children w/ neighbors, relatives, or child-care centers • WWII triggers marriage boom as soldiers rush to get married before they are deployed • Congress passes Servicemen's Readjustment Act to help ease the transition for retuning soldiers • Servicemen’s readjustment Act AKA GI Bill

GI Bill provides… • EDU and Training for vets paid for by the gov’t • Federal loan guarantees for vets buying homes or starting businesses • GI BILL GIVES THOSE WHO MAY HAVE NOT OTHERWEISE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND OWN A HOME THE OOPORTUNITY TO DO SO • GI Bill, However, does not give Af. Amer. The same op. it gave their white counterparts

II Discrimination & Reaction • Despite the opportunities that arose for minorities, old prejudices and policies persisted

A. African American in the Military • Segregation still existed in the military but due to pressure fro civil rights groups some changes occurred • Af. Amer. Soldiers no longer restricted to menial tasks • 92nd Infantry division AKA the Buffaloes • 99th Fighter Squadron AKA the Tuskegee Airmen

B. African Americans at Home • Thousands leave south and move west to find work  Af. Am. In skilled labor rising • Wherever Af. Am. Moved, discrimination followed • Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)= interracial movement to confront urban segregation in North • Ex. Of racial tensions rising & turning violent = 3 day riot in Detroit which began with small fight and ended w/. FDR sending in troops to restore order

C. Mexican Americans in Wartime • Also experiences prejudice and progress during wartime • Also fought in segregated units • Anti-Mexican “zoot-suit” riots during summer of 1943 evidence of racism experience by Mexican Amer. At home • Zoot suit was a style of dress adopted by mex. Amer. Youth as symbol of rebellion against tradition • Sailors claim they were attacked by Mex. Am. mobs pouring into Mex. Amer. Neighborhoods attacking & zoot suitors they could find

D. Japanese Americans in a Struggle for Justice • For the Japanese in internment camps it was constant struggle in the face of injustice • Some escaped camps by volunteering for mil. Servicedemonstrate their loyalty • 442nd all Nisei Regiment become most decorated in war • “go for broke” fought not only the enemy, but prejudice- and won”

Also fought injustice at home including the SC court case Korematsu v. United States • Rules in favor of the US stating that the evacuation of Japanese Americans to camps was justified due to security reasons • Japanese Mexican Citizens League (JACL) pushed gov’t to compensate those who lost property after the wars AMERICA BARELEY HAS TYIME TO DEAL WITH AFTERMATH OF WWII BEFORE IT HAS TO MOBILIZE AGAINST A NEW ENEMY WITHIN AND WITHOUT = FEAR OF COMMUNISM

The impact of the War