ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE WAR

How many women served in the armed forces during the war?

One million women served in the armed forces.

What did the Central Women's School for Sniper Training achieve?

Women were part of the Central Women's School for Sniper Training, which trained 1,200 German soldiers. The first female instructors, called ‘graduates’, killed 12,000 German soldiers.

How many sorties did the female night fighters fly?

The ‘fearless’ night fighters (night bombers) flew 23,672 sorties in flimsy planes and 23 received the Medals of Honor.

What percentage of the workforce were women in industry during 1942–45?

In industry, women had made up 41 per cent of the workforce before the war and between 51 and 53 per cent during the years 1942–45.

What percentage of the workforce were women in light industry?

In light industry 80–90 per cent of the workforce were women.

What percentage of the population did women make up during the siege of Leningrad?

Women made up 75 per cent of the population for most of the siege.

What did poet Anna Akhmatova say about Leningrad women in her 1941 broadcast?

Our descendants will honour every mother who lived at the time of the war, but their gaze will be caught and held fast by the image of the Leningrad woman standing during an air raid on the roof of a house, with a boat hook and fire-tongs in her hands, protecting the city from fire; the Leningrad girl volunteer giving aid to the wounded among the still smoking ruins of a building … No, a city which has bred women like these cannot be conquered.

What was the proportion of female labour employed in agriculture by the end of the war?

In the countryside the proportion of female labour employed in agriculture rose from 40 per cent in 1940 to over 80 per cent by the end of the war, all working predominantly by hand.