Draft calls went out for more men to join the armed forces (due to the Selective Training and Service Act)

GI’s: American soldiers named after “Government Issue” stamps on clothing and equipment

Enlisted for patriotism, adventure, or need of a job

1 million served but the military was segregated

Commanded by white officers

Jobs as cooks and laborers

Not sent into combat

Hispanic Americans: 350,000 served; most decorated ethnic group

Native Americans: 25,000 served; used to create codes

Japanese Americans: 17,000 served; fought loyally despite US treatment

Women: 275,000 volunteered; clerks, typists, mechanics, photographers, and drivers

Outcome of war depended on ability to produce bombers, tanks, uniforms, and other war materials

War Production Board (WPB): direct conversion of peacetime industries to wartime goods

Great Arsenal of Democracy: what FDR called the US to become; needed to raise production of military materials

Employment: 15 million left work force to go to war; jobs easily filled by the unemployed

Americans had money but rationed during the war

Some goods made unavailable to be used for wartime production

Rationing: limited consumption of goods (rubber, gas, butter, meat, cheese)

Victory Garden: Produced about 1/3 of country’s fresh vegetables

Office of War Information encouraged women to join the work force (patriotic duty): 35% of civilian work force

Rosie the Riveter: image used to attract women to the work force

African Americans: many migrated to the North; limited housing created urban ghettos

Mexican Americans: shipyard and aircraft factory jobs in the West; also worked as farm laborers

Japanese Americans: War Relocation Authority moved 110,00 to West Coast internment camps