Standards Surrounding WWII

Lend-Lease Program

The United States initiated the Lend-Lease program in 1940 to supply war materials to Britain primarily due to several critical factors:

  • Economic Support for Britain: Britain was nearly bankrupt and under immense pressure due to German advances that dominated Europe.
  • Military Losses: Germany had successfully sunk all 50 destroyers previously given to England in exchange for bases, showing the urgency of British needs.
  • Threats from Russia: The Soviet Union threatened to declare war against the U.S. if significant support was not provided to change the course of war in Europe.

Key Terms to Know

  • Rationing: A system utilized during wartime to control the amount of scarce resources that individuals can purchase, ensuring fair distribution.
  • Rosie the Riveter: An iconic representation of women's contributions to the war effort, symbolizing female empowerment in the workforce during WWII.
  • War Bonds: Debt securities issued by the government to finance military operations, sold to the general public.
  • Navajo Code Talkers: Native American Marines who developed an unbreakable code based on the Navajo language for secure military communications.
  • Tuskegee Airmen: The first African American military aviators in the U.S. armed forces, known for their impressive service records during WWII.
  • German American Bund Rally at Madison Square Garden (1939): A rally that celebrated German culture in the U.S. but also showcased rising tensions and conflicts of loyalty during the war.
  • Propaganda: Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view, heavily utilized by both the Allies and Axis powers during the war.
  • Japanese-American Internment: The forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII, primarily as a response to wartime fears.
  • Executive Order 8802: Signed by FDR in 1941 to prohibit racial discrimination in defense industries and government jobs.
  • Executive Order 9066: Issued in 1942, authorizing the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Students should be able to chart the societal changes in America as a result of both WWI and WWII.

Main Content of Today's Lesson

The objectives for today’s lesson include:

  • Examining Homefront Continuities: Analyzing the consistencies found on the American homefront between WWI and WWII.
  • Impact of Industrial Mobilization: Describing how mobilization of industry and labor during these wars affected employment rates and the economy.
  • Average American Lives: Understanding the lifestyle changes experienced by average Americans during wartime periods.
  • Propaganda Usage: Investigating the continuities in propaganda techniques and applications during WWI and WWII.
  • Marginalized Groups Opportunities: Explaining how wartime demands created new opportunities for marginalized populations.

Life in the U.S. During WWII

  1. National Unity: A strong sense of national pride developed, leading to decreased internal conflicts.
  2. Mobilization and Employment: Mobilization efforts necessitated a large workforce, which resulted in more job availability and increased paychecks leading to greater consumer spending.
  3. Rationing: Families in the U.S. had to consume less due to war needs, regulated by ration coupons that limited purchases of food, clothing, and gasoline.
  4. Job Access for Marginalized Groups: Women and African Americans gained access to factory jobs due to the absence of white male workers who were deployed overseas, although African American soldiers remained segregated in military units.
  5. Government Propaganda: The U.S. government utilized propaganda, often perpetuating racist stereotypes to maintain public support for the war efforts.
  6. Impact of Executive Orders: FDR's executive orders, including ones that ended discrimination in war job hiring and interned Japanese Americans, had lasting implications for civil rights and liberties.

Special Programs During the War

  1. Bracero Program: Initiated to welcome around 4.6 million Mexican-Americans to fill labor shortages in agriculture while many white farmers were serving in the war.
  2. Tuskegee Airmen: A pivotal group of African American aviators who broke racial barriers and achieved notable success in combat without losing a bomber to enemy fighters.
  3. Navajo Code Talkers: A group of over 400 U.S. Marines who used their native language as a secret code, proving instrumental in crucial battles like Iwo Jima during WWII. Their code was so effective that it was not broken throughout the war, and the program remained classified until 1968.

Propaganda and Civil Rights Issues

Propaganda Strategies
  • The iconic figure of Rosie the Riveter represented women’s contributions to the workforce, emphasizing their role in supporting the war effort.
  • Wartime propaganda aimed at destroying enemy morale while simultaneously creating a unified national identity among Americans.
Discrimination and Activism
  • The Double V Campaign emerged as a call for victories against both external enemies and internal racial injustices. This campaign emphasized the dual struggle for civil rights alongside winning the war.
  • Executive Order 8802 was passed in response to the threat of a mass march by African Americans on Washington to demand equal rights and non-discrimination in wartime employment.

Japanese Internment Camps

  1. Executive Order 9066: This order led to the internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were American citizens, in relocation camps under the guise of wartime security.
  2. Korematsu v. United States: This landmark Supreme Court case concluded that the internment was justified during wartime under the premise of military necessity, despite challenges claiming it violated civil liberties.
  3. Living Conditions: Internment camps were sparsely furnished, with military-like barracks and a lack of privacy. Families were given minimal time to prepare for their relocation and were subjected to restrictions that violated their civil rights.
  4. Post-War Reactions: In 1988, the Civil Liberties Act acknowledged the injustices faced by Japanese Americans during this time, providing reparations to those who were still alive.

The League of Nations and FDR's Four Freedoms

President Franklin Roosevelt articulated his vision of a post-war world order through the Four Freedoms: 1) Freedom of speech and expression, 2) Freedom to worship God in one's own way, 3) Freedom from want, and 4) Freedom from fear. These principles later influenced the formation of the United Nations.

Summary and Review

The lessons learned from the homefront experiences during WWII illustrate the complexities of social change amid a backdrop of war. It highlights issues of civil rights, economic hardship, and the mobilization of diverse labor forces, laying the groundwork for post-war reforms and the civil rights movement that followed.