America during WWII and After: Social Impacts

1. WW II During & After The American People

2. V-J Day • August 14th 1945 • Japan’s government unconditionally surrenders to the USA and it’s allies. • Parades on the home front. • Large sense of nationalism. • Japanese Americans in internment camps were set free in California.

3. Executive Order 9066 • Issued February 19, 1942 • Forced Japanese into “internmentcamps” • Allowed the US Military to declare parts of the USA as “military zones” baring “Foreign Enemy Ancestry” • Lead to over 120,000 Japanese Americans being held in “internment camps” for up to 4 years. • Focused on the • Issei—Japanese Immigrants (1st Generations) • Nisei---American Born Japanese (2nd Generation) • Sansei---Japanese (3rd Generations Japanese Americans)

4. Executive Order 9066 • These Internment Camps were the USA version of Concentration Camps (minus the gas chambers) • People were given less than 48 hours notice. • Were told only to bring what they could carry. • Given an allegiance questionnaire to determine which camp they would be “kept” • Also relocated were Italians and Germans (but not as widely) • Japanese Internment Camps During WWII • Japs keep moving

6. War’s Social and Economical Impact • During WWII the USA saw their economy soar. • Producing war supplies for the USA and it’s allies was very profitable. • People moved to cities to work in factories. • Jobs paid well. • Women, African-Americans, and Hispanic-Americans worked as well and gained some economic freedom/stability.

7. Military deployment breeds Social Change • Approximately 16 million men and 250,000 women served in the US military during WW II • Most of these people were stationed in the USA but in different parts. • FG (Clev=Det) • Often after the war these people who were stationed in other areas in the USA stayed there. • These mixing of various cultures caused people to adopt certain customs/social patterns.

8. Wartime Population Shifts • People moved from rural areas to cities. (jobs) • Sunbelt grew as well. (Florida Carolinas etc.) • Many people relocated because of the war effort and eventually stayed in their new areas after the war.

9. Wartime Prosperity • Because of such economic/industrial expansion many areas also had advances. • Health Care for working people became common. • Dental care vastly improved. • Birth rates rose, death rates declined. Lifespan extended. • Average incomes rose. (We became a middle class nation) Before WW II After WW II

10. Office of Economic Stabilization • Started in 1943. • Headed by James F. Byrnes. • Helped organize the wartime efforts from an economic standpoint (successful) ----Helped organize the government contracts for war supplies. • Real GDP grew by 25% Economy was booming! (we haven’t been as good since)

11. Good and Bad • With the government issuing large contracts for war supplies they needed money. • RAISE TAXES: • Revenue Acts 1942-1943. (Created the modern income tax) This generated an additional $40 Billion • Other revenue came from War Bonds (Peddled by movie stars/celebrities) • YouTube - Bette Davis promoting the sale of war bonds • YouTube - Bugs Bunny War Bond Drive WW2 Cartoon

12. Good and Bad • The depression of the 20’s and 30’s was eliminated. • Jobs were plentiful and wartime economic expansion was fueled by government spending and mass conscription. • Conscription: The military draft. • Farmers and industrial workers saw increases in production (up to 20% increase)

13. Good and Bad • Because businesses were booming and laborers were employed congress enacted the War Labor Board. • War Labor Board (1942) • Set guidelines for wages, hours, and unions. • For the most part during war times labor unions remained cooperative and didn’t strike much.

14. Good and Bad • Because people were making government product there were often shortages in consumer goods. This leads to??????? • Inflation: (Too much money chasing too few goods) • Government then regulated this by putting price restrictions on many consumer goods. • They also used a ration system issuing coupons for certain items.

15. Bad • Roosevelt created the Office of Price Administration:Their job was to regulate prices/rations etc. • This outraged citizens. • Gas/Beef rationing was the worst. • Gas was so scarce people bought it on the black markets. • Speed limits were set at 35mph to save gas. • Service stations closed, people often had to walk because a lack of gas. • Motorists would line up for miles to get gas.

16. Bad • Beef rationing also hurt. • Butchers were often abused/hurt because their display cases were either empty or they refused to budge on the ration limits. • Families had the $ to pay. (just no beef)

17. Women’s Roles • Prior to war, women were seen as dainty and unsuitable for manufacturing. • Women were actually utilized during wartime. • WAC --- Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps • WAVES—Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.

18. Women’s Roles • Because of a shortage of workers, the idea of women working outside the home changed. • Women worked in factories, drove trucks, worked in munitions stations.

19. Women’s Roles • Office of War Information: • Produced propaganda to encourage women to join the war labor force. • Slogan became Rosie the Riveter “Do the job HE left behind” • YouTube - Rosie the Riveters of World War II

20. Women’s Roles The downside • While women finally enjoyed working in the labor force, they did have problems. • Problems: • Unequal pay from males • Sexually harassed by their male supervisors • Lack of child care facilities. • “Latchkey Children” • Children were often put in all day long movie theaters. • Girls turned to prostitution • Boys were vandals

21. Women’s Roles The downside • Women were expected to relinquish their jobs to men when the war ended. • Many did not want to. • Some were fired. • This started women to raise their daughters to be less subservient. • Was the roots to women’s rights.

22. African-Americans Role • Were segregated. • Often were attacked by white civilians in the south. • Had lesser roles in the military • They had hoped their service would translate into better education and job opportunities after the war. (It didn’t) • Hoped for a “Double V” • Victory over the axis powers • Victory over the Jim Crow Laws

23. African-Americans Role • Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) • Started by Pres. Roosevelt. • Done to stifle a potential protest because employers were not hiring black workers to fill war contracts. • It was symbolic • It was not enforced • Blacks started to move to industrial cities in the north. • Whites didn’t like this because they were competing with them for everything. • They wanted blacks to stay in the south.

24. Detroit Race Riots 1943 • Summer of 1943 • Since 1942, Detroit’s population grew by 350,000 (50,000 black) • Riot lasted 3 days • Martial Law was declared • 34 people killed (25 black) • Over 600 injured (75% black) • Over 1800 arrested (86% black)

25. African-Americans Role (After the war) • Felt empowered • Often stayed in the north or west. • Used their GI bill to learn a trade • Formed an African-American middle class. • Lead the later charge against the Jim Crow Laws • The roots of the African American Civil Rights movements got their start in WWII and it’s aftermath.

26. Hispanic-American Contributions • Over 350,000 joined the military. • They were given prestigious military positions. • 11 receive Medal of Honor during WWII • USA government granted permission to “import” Mexican workers to work the farms. They could cross the border because of labor shortages. • Braceros: (Mexican laborers during WWII)

27. Zoot-Suit Riot • Hispanics formed a type of gang called Pachucos. • Wore Zoot-Suits. → • Sailors would often beat the Pachucos because of racial/ethnic tension. • Media supported this. • YouTube - Zoot Suit Riots

28. Native Americans Contributions • Code-Talkers: • Spoke in their native Indian languages which was next to impossible for the Axis powers to decode. • Left their reservations to help the war effort as well. • After the war, they wanted reparations for their land taken illegally over 100 years ago. • USA delayed negotiations and in 1979 settled for $0.47 per acre!!!!

29. War breeds Big Government • Because the War effort resulted in such an economic boom the following ideas/concerns were put on hold: • Social Reform • Labor Union • Antitrust challenges • The Government Grew • War contracts allowed the government to be centralized (and big) • War agencies sprang up and the number of government employees tripled!

30. War breeds Big Government • Roosevelt used the war to enhance his executive power. • He appointed 8 liberals to the Supreme Court during his tenure. • As a result the Supreme Court refused to review cases involving: • Violations of civil liberties during the war • Wartime extensions of federal power in economic affairs • It allowed the FBI to spy on Americans for national security purposes (similar to the Patriot Act)

31. War breeds Big Government • Citizens began to look at Washington D.C. for their answers and Local/State governments were viewed as week/pointless. • Colleges and Universities shifted their attention to wartime research of weapons etc. • Enrollment remained high during the war • After the war the G.I. Bill kept enrollment high shifting the trend in our country toward higher education.

32. Roosevelt Wins his 4th term • 1944 election Roosevelt had Harry Truman as his VP Candidate. (Who would take over 3 months later) • Roosevelt easily defeated Thomas Dewey • (Roosevelt and his camp played upon Dewey’s small physical stature.)

33. Homeland Prosperity & Luxury • Because of wartime jobs, people had discretionary income. • People engaged in pleasure activities such as.. • Reading (new books) • Comic books were very popular at the time. • Radio (Amos & Andy) • Dancing • Movies • Spectator sports grew too. • Only problem was men were usually involved in the service so sport athletes were not available. • 1943 the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Formed.

34. All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

35. All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. • Started by Phillip K. Wrigley. (Founder of the cubs and gum) • Underhand pitching • No stealing • Uniform was a skirt and top. • Were encouraged to play hardball on the field but be girly off. • YouTube - A League of Their Own (1992) • Femininity was key. • Had to attend charm school while playing. • Had to learn how to apply make up (at all times) • Issued a beauty kit. • League continued even after the war. Hitting it’s peek in 1950, then male baseball returned. • League disbanded in 1954. WHY?? • Cause there’s no crying in baseball • YouTube - no crying in baseball

36. Hollywood goes to war. (With Government Intervention) • People went to movies because they had the $. • Office of War Information • Created 2 sub agencies to supervise the film industry. • Bureau of Motion Pictures • Bureau of Censorship Bureau of Motion Pictures • Issued the “Government Information Manual for the Motion Picture” • “Will this picture help win the war?” • Show people making sacrifices for victory in a cheerful manor.

37. Hollywood goes to war. • War films of the time showed allies as helpful and jolly. • It also showed many stereotypical images of Japanese and women being weak. • Often showed the “Hollywood Canteen” • A place for servicemen to relax, drink, dance see a show, etc

38. End of WWII • Looking for a quick end to the war, USA dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6th 1945 killing more than 60,000 people. • When the Japanese didn’t surrender….. • The USA dropped another bomb on Nagasaki August 9th 1945 killing an additional 30,000+

39. The Result? The Cold War Cold War Intro (R 4)