The Causes and Effects of World War II

World War II was fought between two main opposing forces, the Allies and the Axis forces. The Axis powers consisted of Germany, Italy, and Japan being the most dominant. On the other hand, some of the countries in the Allied powers were Great Britain, the United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, India, the Soviet Union, Canada, and Greece.

Adolph Hitler became head of Germany’s National Socialists Party in July of 1921. By 1933 the once unknown Hitler was given dictatorial power. As his power grew the new dictator grew more restrictive and power hungry. Books were burned, Jewish-owned businesses were boycotted, the Nazi Party was made the only party, and concentration camps were opened, all in the first year of Hitler’s dictatorial rule. Within Germany there were many changes in a short time. By 1939 tensions were high and World War II began with the invasion of Poland by the German Nazis on September first.

The Nazi invasion of Poland was not the reason for World War II, but was what triggered the war. One of the main reasons of the war was that Germany had not upheld the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles was designed after World War I with the intentions of preventing another world war, and making Germany pay for the damage the First World War had caused. With Hitler as leader, Germany immediately began expanding their military and weaponry, breaking one guideline of the Treaty of Versailles, the next guideline which was broken was that Austria and Germany formed a union. Germany formed this union, called Anschluss, with Austria in order to gain back land which had been taken from them according to the Treaty of Versailles.

By September 3, 1939, just two days after the Nazi ...

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...American women employed (Giampaoli).

Women who were employed during World War II often worked long 48 hour weeks and were still expected to care for the children, wash the laundry, do the shopping (which wasn’t easy due to rations), do dishes, and clean the house, among other things. Because of the excessive demands women faced, they would often work at home and care for the children in the daytime and have a night job, sleeping only a few hours nightly.

During World War II the percentage of employed women increased from 25% to 36% (Lewis). Although the new role the women held in society was exhausting, many came to appreciate it. When the men came back from war and there was less of a need for women to work, they were expected to go back to their housewife duties, however many women wished to keep their jobs. This forever changed women’s roles in society.