US History Paper

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Recommended: The effects of propaganda during WW 2

“She must know how to cook, she must know how to set her table attractively, she must know how to make her home comfortable and inviting, she must know the worth of labor saving devices and how best to conserve her time and energy, she must know clothes, how to buy and how to make them”. This was the stereotype for most all women in that time. This pattern continued on for many years, but women everywhere made a huge step during WWII. Many historians and people living in the time of World War Two agree that women helped greatly in improving our war effort and taking responsibility of the jobs at home. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the decision was made to go to war. Many men were sent off, leaving many vacancies in their everyday jobs. Normally, the government and society discouraged women who wanted to go to work. But the war demanded much more than we anticipated, and women started getting involved. During WWII, women were given the opportunity to take on a job in the workforce, rather than stay at home, many new propaganda campaigns started, urging women to join the workforce, and during WWII, the ideas of women's roles started to change.

"There is one front and one battle where everyone in the United States—every man, woman, and child—is in action, and will be privileged to remain in action throughout this war. That front is right here at home, in our daily lives, and in our daily tasks."- President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 28 April 1942.Women at this time were the only hope for filling the empty jobs left by the men going to war. Everyone began to realize that this war could not be won without the help of everyone, whether they were a male or female. Many people pushed and supported women being able to join the workforce...

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...t they could take on, thanks to many of the laws such as WAC and WASP. Although they didn't always get the same payment as men, they still helped out and contributed to the war. There was also many propaganda campaigns started to get women supporting the war, one of the most memorable is Rosie the Riveter. Lastly, the ideas of roles of women started to change. Women started to take on the roles and jobs formerly reserved for men only, and they proved to be very good at their jobs. A lot of peoples views on what women should be doing or could be doing changed during this period, because women were taking these jobs that most people thought they wouldn't be able to do. Many though women were not physically fit enough for some of these jobs, but they proved them wrong. Women were very big help during that time and it inspired many women in their period and women today.

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