COS Standard 10

Describe the impact of World War II on the lives of American citizens, including wartime economic measures, population shifts, growth in the middle class, growth of industrialization, advancements in science and technology, increased wealth in the African American community, racial and ethnic tensions, the G. I. Bill of Rights of 1944, and desegregation of the military.

Describing Alabama’s participation in World War II, including the role of the Tuskegee Airmen, the Aliceville Prisoner of War (POW) camp, growth of the Port of Mobile, production of Birmingham steel, and the establishment of military bases

Chapter 25-3 and Chapter 27

Wartime Economic Measures Great Depression ends

because US gets involved in World War II.

Created 19 million new jobs and doubled the families income.

Women and African Americans were recruited to work in factories. White men were fighting

overseas; could not fight and work in factories at the same time

Rosie the Riveter: symbol of campaign to hire women

Wartime Economic Measures People were leery of hiring African

Americans to work in factories. A. Phillip Randolph told FDR that he was

planning a march on Washington. FDR responded with the Executive Order

8802: there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in the defense industries or government because of race, creed, color or national origin.

To enforce the order, FDR created the Fair Employment Practices Commission

Wartime Economic Measures To help farmers in

the Southwest, the government introduced the Bracero program.

Mexicans were allowed to work in agricultures as well as building and maintaining railroads.

Continued until 1964.

Population shifts

People wanted the new jobs. Not all jobs were created close to home. Thus, people had to move. Moved West and South: growth of cities in

Southern California and Deep South which created a new industrialized region called the Sunbelt.

There was not enough housing for people, so tents and trailers were set up for people to live in.

The government allocates money to build schools, housing and community centers. Government housing was not good.

Population shifts: American Americans and riots

Great Migration: shift of African Americans to the north in search for jobs

When they moved they were greeted with suspicion and intolerance.

Riots in Detroit

Population shifts: Mexican American and riots

Mexican Americans faced suspicion as well. In Southern California, racism followed Mexican Americans. Juvenile crime and the zoot suit became synonymous. Extra material in a pleated pants and

knee length jackets, hair was in a ducktail: unpatriotic

Victory Suits: patriotic, no cuffs and vest, narrow lapel, short jacket

Zoot suit versus Victory suits

Population shifts: Japanese Americans

Americans were angry at Japanese Americans for the bombing at Pearl Harbor.

FDR declared the US a war zone and they could remove whomever they wanted. West Coast and moving Japanese

Americans to internment camps

Daily life during World War II

Prices rose, materials were in short supply Ration: limiting the availability of goods▪ Blue points: processed foods▪ Red points: meats, fats and oils (get extra coupons for

oils)▪ Other coupons controlled coffee and sugar▪ Gas was rationed, driving was restricted and the speed

limit was 35 Victory gardens: raise own food in garden to

save food for troops overseas Scrap drives E-bonds

Ration cards and E-bonds war poster

Growth of the Middle Class

After World War II, America experiences a growth of abundance.

Average income of an American family will triple.

More people own homes Fewer farmers because of

mechanization Growth in white collar job: jobs in

sales and management and blue collar jobs decline: people who perform hard manual labor

Industrialization

During World War II, America industrialized to keep up with building war materials.

Factories converted from making general goods to producing things needed for the war.

Advancements in Science and Technology

Computers ENIAC : made simple military

calculations UNIVAC: handles business data

Medical Breakthroughs Drugs to fight infections, arthritis,

diabetes, cancer, heart disease Polio▪ Jonas Salk: injectable vaccine that will

prevent polio▪ Albert Sabin: oral vaccine to prevent polio

ENIVAC

UNIVAC

Salk and Sabin

Advancements in Science and Technology

Soviet Union launches Sputnik in 1957, US launches its own satellite in 1958.

Commercial airplanes are being built smoother and faster.

African American wealth

During World War II, African Americans did experience wealth due to factory jobs opening.

Many African Americans moved to the north to find better jobs in the Great Migration.

After the war, still many African Americans migrate to the cities for work. Face discrimination Low pay

GI Bill of Rights 1944

Also known as the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act

Provided generous loans to veterans to help them establish businesses, buy homes and attend college.

Desegregation of the military

Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, ending segregation in the military.

Tuskegee Airmen

99th pursuit squadron

All African American squadron of fighter pilots trained in Tuskegee, Alabama

Played an important role in the Battle of Anzio in Italy

Aliceville Prisoner of War Camp

In Pickens County, Alabama

First prisoners accepted on June 2, 1943

Houses German prisoners after battles in North Africa

Other camps set up in Alabama Opelika Anniston Camp Rucker

Mobile

Benefits the most Brookley Field: modified B-24s and was a

major supply base Shipbuilding Firms▪ Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company▪ Gulf Shipbuilding▪ Built freighters, tankers, minesweepers and

destroyers The population grew so fast, housing

could not keep up.

Birmingham

TCI a longtime coal mine operator and iron

producer expanded its facilities and shifts to keep up with

demand. Bechtel-McCone Aircraft Modification

Equipped and modified B-29 bombers O’Neal Steel

Steel fabrications for bombs DuPont Chemical

Built a large explosive plant in Childersburg

Miltary Bases in Alabama

Maxwell Southeast Air Corps

Training Center▪ Pilots received flight

training Gunter Craig

Flight training for US and British Air Force

Anniston Ordnance Works

Fort McClellan