Detailed Notes on WWII Impact on Women and African Americans

The Impact on Women

• Labor Force Involvement: 6.5 million women entered the labor force for the first time during WWII.

  • 75% of these women were married, many with children.
  • Confronted wage discrimination, earning only 65% of what men made for the same work.
  • Most women perceived this employment shift as temporary; many left the workforce after the war.

• Societal Attitudes: There was resistance against married women working, including initial government reluctance to fund childcare facilities for women in defense jobs.

Conscientious Objectors in WWII

• Camps: Conscientious Objector Camps (CPS Camps) were established across the U.S., including a specific camp in Bedford, VA, located in the Peaks of Otter.
  • The Bedford Camp housed 153 conscientious objectors, half of whom were from religious backgrounds.
  • These individuals worked alongside German POWs in farming and trail creation on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Women and the Military

• Military Roles for Women: Women had opportunities to serve in supportive roles in the military but were not involved in combat.
  • Army Nurses: Served in the military, providing essential healthcare.
  • Marine Corps: Women were able to serve directly.
  • WAVES: A program for women assisting the Navy.
  • WAC: A program for women assisting the Army.
  • WASPS: Women Airforce Service Pilots flew training missions and transported planes, notable for their contributions despite lack of military service recognition.

Overall Impact of the War on Women

• Work: The war opened new job opportunities and granted recognition to women's contributions in industry.
• Education: Universities were compelled to admit more women due to labor demands.
• Military Involvement: Over 300,000 women joined the military in various capacities.
• Social Trends: Both marriage and divorce rates increased during the war, with divorce rates rising from 16% in 1940 to 27% in 1944.

War and African Americans: The Fight for Equality

• Double V Campaign: African Americans sought "Double V Victory" — victory in Europe and freedom from discrimination at home.
  • Membership in the NAACP increased tenfold as African Americans began demanding the right to vote.
  • Faced severe racism and segregation in defense industries until civil rights activism threatened a march on Washington, prompting Roosevelt to enact Executive Order 8802, which aimed to end discrimination and established the Fair Employment Practices Commission, though effectiveness was limited.
  • The Detroit Race Riots were significant events highlighting racial tensions during this period.

Military and Homefront Experience for African Americans

• Military Service: Nearly 1 million African Americans served, predominantly in non-combat roles.

  • For the first time, Marines and Coast Guard accepted Black servicemen, who still faced discrimination and riots on military bases.
  • Tuskegee Airmen: A distinguished group of African American pilots who became highly decorated for their service during the war.

• Employment Shifts: 2 million African Americans worked in war industries, with 200,000 in federal civil service, transitioning from domestic and agricultural jobs to better factory positions.

  • Despite higher wages, they continued to experience wage discrimination compared to their white peers.
  • WWII highlighted racial injustices in the South, and white supremacy undermined the moral high ground of the U.S. over enemies like Hitler.

Legal Challenges: Korematsu v. United States

• Case Overview: Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American in his 20s, refused to comply with Executive Order 9066, requiring Japanese Americans to relocate.

  • Arrested and found guilty of violating the order, his appeal to the Supreme Court argued a violation of his 4th Amendment due process rights.
  • The Supreme Court ruled against him, suggesting that wartime necessities could justify restrictions on civil rights for specific racial groups.

• Military Participation: Many Japanese Americans fought to prove their loyalty, exemplified by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which served in Europe and received high decorations.

  • In 1988, the federal government officially apologized for the internment and allocated $20,000 (equivalent to $40,000 today) to surviving internees.