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Role of women wwii
Role of women wwii
How World War II Affected Women
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During WW2 everyone had to fight, including the women. As a result, the women did many things they had never been able to do. For example, they worked in the shops and factories, they did work at home, and they even fought in the war!
When the men left, there was no one to run the shops. Therefore, the woman had to take over and help. When WW2 started more than 6 million women joined the workforce. More than 310,000 women worked in the aircraft industry. That is about 65% of the industry. Women in factories made 296,429 airplanes and 87,620 warships to help the war. Most women had never worked before and they had to take over the shops, stores, and factories. This was hard for them, but it was all for the greater good. Because of this, women now have equal rights, and can work wherever they want!
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Some woman had to stay home, but they could still help. For example, the women donated scraps of metal and rubber to the army. Soldiers were running out of food so the women had to ration food so that the army would have food. Therefore, Certain foods like meat and butter could only be bought with a special “ration ticket”. Some women planted gardens and donated the crops to the men at war. Most women went to work in the factories, but some stayed home. No matter what you did, you could still help. It took awhile to convince the men to let them do this, but, some woman fought in the war. The women who could fly airplanes joined the WASP (Women’s Airforce Service Pilots). Women who could sail boats or fight near water joined the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). All the women who still wanted to fight, but couldn’t fly airplanes or fight near the sea joined the WAC (Women’s Army Corps).As a result, more than 100,000 women in the WAC and more than 6,000 female officers. The women could now work and fight for their country. Any woman could fight and that's
Within Megan H. Mackenzie’s essay, “Let Women Fight” she points out many facts about women serving in the U.S. military. She emphasizes the three central arguments that people have brought up about women fighting in the military. The arguments she states are that women cannot meet the physical requirements necessary to fight, they simply don’t belong in combat, and that their inclusion in fighting units would disrupt those units’ cohesion and battle readiness. The 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act built a permanent corps of women in all the military departments, which was a big step forward at that time. Although there were many restrictions that were put on women, an increase of women in the U.S. armed forces happened during
Later, in World War II, there was another change in women’s rights. During World War I, women were unable to join the military; they were only able to help out as nurses and support staff; however, during World War II, women were able to join the military but were unable to fight in combat missions. In summary, as you can clearly see women’s rights experienced extreme levels of change during the 20th
Women played an important role throughout American history. They were known in the Civil War to be doing various acts. Women had enlisted in the army as soldiers, spied and gathered information about the enemy, took care of wounded soldiers, traveled and helped within the military camps and even took over their husbands’ businesses. There were many things that they did to contribute to the war just as much as the men did. Even though it was dangerous they still helped whether it was on the battlefield, in a hospital, or at home, they still tried to help out the best they could.
World War Two was the period where women came out of their shells and was finally recognized of what they’re capable of doing. Unlike World War One, men weren’t the only ones who were shined upon. Women played many significant roles in the war which contributed to the allied victory in World War Two. They contributed to the war in many different ways; some found themselves in the heat of the battle, and or at the home front either in the industries or at homes to help with the war effort as a woman.
Never before this time had women across the country been given the chance to express themselves and hold responsibilities outside their own households. They felt that they were needed and enjoyed their ability to contribute to the war effort. They were given opportunities to prove to the male society that they could be independent and financially secure on their own. These new opportunities were not only for the white women of the population but also the blacks. World War Two acted as a catalyst for change for the women of the United States. Many feel that it was the beginning of a whole new era for the Women of America.
During the war, women played a vital role in the workforce because all of the men had to go fight overseas and left their jobs. This forced women to work in factories and volunteer for war time measures.
many men were involved in the war, women finally had their chance to take on many of
When all the men were across the ocean fighting a war for world peace, the home front soon found itself in a shortage for workers. Before the war, women mostly depended on men for financial support. But with so many gone to battle, women had to go to work to support themselves. With patriotic spirit, women one by one stepped up to do a man's work with little pay, respect or recognition. Labor shortages provided a variety of jobs for women, who became street car conductors, railroad workers, and shipbuilders. Some women took over the farms, monitoring the crops and harvesting and taking care of livestock. Women, who had young children with nobody to help them, did what they could do to help too. They made such things for the soldiers overseas, such as flannel shirts, socks and scarves.
The women during the war felt an obligation to assist in one form or another. Many stayed at home to watch over the children, while others felt a more direct or indirect approach was necessary. Amongst the most common path women took to support the war, many "served as clerks.filled the ammunition cartridges and artillery shells with powder at armories, laboring at this dangerous and exacting task for low wages. Both sides utilized women in these capacities (Vol. 170). " Women that stayed away from battlefields supported their respected armies by taking the jobs that men left behind.
...ves, and many families ended up starving. Many of these women were forced to make their own clothes and shoes. It would be the only way they could clothe their children. Women that did have jobs, found themselves wearing formal attire to work because their street clothes were so ragged and worn. It was also a woman's role to teach her children. Women not in the war had to take on many responsibilities. Another role they had to endure was being a nurse. A major disadvantage of living on a farm in the South was that your home would become a battlefield. With warfare taking place on the home front, women were invaded with wounded soldiers in their homes and forced to take care of them (Massey 197-219). Even the women that weren't working in the battlefields, still endured pain and suffering, and sacrificed themselves for the betterment of their families and country.
They wanted to feel useful to society so during the American Revolution, women, who did not usually participate in the war, actively participated on the home front. They knitted stockings and sewed uniforms for the soldiers. They also had to replace men out in the factories as weavers, carpenters, blacksmiths, and shipbuilders. Other women also volunteered out in front to take care of the wounded, become laundresses, cooks and companions to the soldiers and some turned their houses into hospitals to take care of the injured.... ... middle of paper ...
They began to fight for the jobs that they had lost due to the return of men in the workforce and the military. But woman wanted more than just their job opportunities they realized that they also wanted an equal status in society, they wanted more employment opportunities and in general, they wanted more than just a caretaker in the house. By the late 40’s women had achieved one of the biggest things military wise. In 1948, the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act was enacted which allowed women to be full members of the United States Armed Forces. Acts and laws like these show that women did not give up after losing their jobs and positions at the end of the war, they fought
For starters after each war period women were left wanting more equality realizing that men were given more opportunities then women. Women were able to work during periods of war and after the wars ended so was their jobs. Women however wanted to work some not even wanting to be housewives but wanted a real job like men were offered. Not only did they want equal jobs but also the ability to have a proper education. Women were always more active during these periods of post war society but between the two periods a lot of the expectations were
During America’s involvement in World War Two, which spanned from 1941 until 1945, many men went off to fight overseas. This left a gap in the defense plants that built wartime materials, such as tanks and other machines for battle. As a result, women began to enter the workforce at astonishing rates, filling the roles left behind by the men. As stated by Cynthia Harrison, “By March of [1944], almost one-third of all women over the age of fourteen were in the labor force, and the numbers of women in industry had increased almost 500 percent. For the first time in history, women were in the exact same place as their male counterparts had been, even working the same jobs. The women were not dependent upon men, as the men were overseas and far from influence upon their wives.
Women were not only separated by class, but also by their gender. No woman was equal to a man and didn’t matter how rich or poor they were. They were not equal to men. Women couldn’t vote own business or property and were not allowed to have custody of their children unless they had permission from their husband first. Women’s roles changed instantly because of the war. They had to pick up all the jobs that the men had no choice but to leave behind. They were expected to work and take care of their homes and children as well. Working outside the home was a challenge for these women even though the women probably appreciated being able to provide for their families. “They faced shortages of basic goods, lack of childcare and medical care, little training, and resistance from men who felt they should stay home.” (p 434)