Standard 7Indicator 7.2

Standard USHC-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the impact of World War II on the United States and the nation’s subsequent role in the world

Enduring Understanding: In defense of democracy, a government may need to confront aggression and ask its citizens for sacrifice in wars and providing foreign aid that, in turn, affects the practice of democracy at home. To make informed political decisions about when and how government should go to war, the student will …

USHC-7.2 Evaluate the impact of war mobilization on the home front, including consumer sacrifices, the role of women and minorities in the workforce, and limits on individual rights that resulted in the internment of Japanese Americans

Americans & the war effort• To what extent did Americans

make the sacrifices necessary to mount a “Total War” effort?• To what extent did ALL

Americans contribute to WW2?

• Fighting during WW2 required the total mobilization of the US economy, the US gov’t, and US society on the home front• FDR urged industries to convert

to making war materials---even before Pearl Harbor---to supply the Allies

The national gov’t managed the economy by:

•Controlling the allocation of scarce resources to businesses•Controlling wages & prices

• In order to finance the war, war bond drives were held• Rationing of scarce resources were

mandatory through allocation of ration coupon booklets

During the Second World War, you couldn't just walk into a shop and buy as much sugar or butter or meat as you wanted, nor could you fill up your car with gasoline whenever you liked. All these things were rationed, which meant you were only allowed to buy a small amount (even if you could afford more). The government introduced rationing because certain things were in short supply during the war, and rationing was the only way to make sure everyone got their fair share.

• ALL Americans were forced to sacrifice• Women & minorities were urged to

work while men were drafted• Women took traditional male jobs—they

had “ROSIE THE RIVETER” as their icon

• Women could serve in the military, but only as nurses or clerks• A. Philip Randolph, leader of African-American labor union, threatened to march on Washington if African Americans were not given equal opportunity to work in the war-time factories

• In response to Randolph, FDR issued an executive order to establish a commission to ensure that ALL jobs be open to African-American workers• Despite everyone coming together due

to the war, African-Americans served in segregated units• They faced discrimination when they

traveled down South for training• These experiences will launch the CRM

after WW2

Mexican-Americans• Mexican American workers took the

place of farm workers who had enlisted or who had been drafted• Young Mexican Americans were

attacked in Los Angeles because they wore clothes that were considered “Un-American”

Japanese Internment Camps• After the surprise attack of Pearl Harbor,

western states feared another attack• FDR was urged to take action against

Japanese residents & Japanese-American citizens***Without any evidence of wrong-doing, the Japanese were ordered to sell their property and all belongings***They were sent to internment camps in the Southwest desert region of the US

• The Supreme Court upheld the establishment of these Internment Camps