Women and War
Trying to hold the homefront together while there was a war waging abroad was not an
easy task for women during World War I and II. Women were not only asked to complete the
daily chores that were normally expected of them, but they were asked to go to work. Suddenly
their very private lives were turned into a very public and patriotic cause.
Traditionally the woman's place was thought to be in the home. She was responsible for
cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children, and looking her best. So when war broke out it
was clear that America would not be able to win either of the World War's without the help of
their women, the "traditional" housewife and mother turned into wartime worker. This is the
same for Germany. The men realized it would not be possible for them to continue their wartime
efforts without the help and support of the Nazi women.
World War I was a turning point in American history for women. Women had to put
aside their feminist movement and class issues because their national identity was seen as more
important then their own more private issues. They were going to participate and do their best
whether or not they received recognition, and even though they put their movements aside they
still stayed organized in their women's groups and networks.
The Nazi women are very much like the American women in some respects. At the
beginning, before the war and before Hitler took power, they felt as if Liberalism was not doing
anything for them and it wasn't working to anyone's advantage. "Like their male counterparts,
Nazi women expressed contempt for democracy, liberalism, individualism, and decadence."
(Koonz 97) The women were working long, hard hours in factor...
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... and were experiencing their own individuality. The war allowed women to make
decisions, and it gave them a chance to fight for their right's. And there is no doubt that the
consequences of the World War's (discrimination, job cuts, wage inequalities) led to the
development of many of the civil rights movement's of the 1950's.
Bibliography:
Koonz, Claudia, "Mothers in the Fatherland." Course Packet Pages 95-109.
Roberts, Mary Louise, "Women are Cutting their Hair as a Sign of Sterility," from Civilization without Sexes.
Course Packet Pages 71-86.
Robinson-Dunn "The French Resistance and World War II" S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook University. April 13, 2000.
Robinson-Dunn "Women and Fascism" S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook University. April 11, 2000.
Robinson-Dunn "Women and World War I" S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook University. April 4, 2000.
American women in World War II brought significant changes which although people expectation that life would go back to normal they modify their lifestyle making women free of society pressure and norms, because the war changed the traditional way to see a woman and their roles leading to a new society where women were allowed to study and work in the same way than men. Creating a legacy with the principles of today’s society.
that was effecting there very lives. It rallied the people to make the government find a
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.
anyone who bought from a Jew was a no good German. In the early 1930's
fighting in the war alongside the men these women did make an impact on the war.
not only convince the Congress that American belligerency in the final stages of the war would indefinitely shorten it and provide him with the opportunity. to organize the peace for Europe as well as the rest of the world (Ferrell 2). but to sway the American people’s opinion of non-isolationism, to warn. Germany’s government that “America would ultimately wield a powerful sword to deny them victory” (Parsons 2), to compel German citizens to. relinquish the submarine attacks and negotiate peace and terms.
view was that as the Germans had less men it did not matter if the
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 (Volo 170)." Women that stayed away from battlefields supported their respected armies by taking the jobs that men left behind. They were the grease in the gears of war, the individuals working behind the scenes so that the men would be prepared, ready to fight with functioning weapons and operational gear.
...n terms of abolishing slavery which is why they were such significant social reformers during this movement.
Politics had played a large part in the movement’s beginning, and they continued to be...
When the war began men had to leave their families and jobs behind. World War I was a complete war because all of the world’s assets had to be used and the entire nation’s population was involved. Anyone that had the ability to work had to work. The women had to take up jobs and went through a lot changes in order to support their families during the war. World War I gave women with the chance to have a significant part in the victory of the war which had an impact them and changed the lives of all women forever.
Instead of being confined at home, the women joined labor forces, worked with wages, and experimented with different types of behavior that would have been unreasonable a few years back. Along with these dramatic changes were their fashion styles. This style changed their rights and relationships with others completely. With that change, a new woman was born. There were not many ways for women to stand up for themselves and what they believed in.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was determined to protect the national security of the United States. At first, Roosevelt felt that it was in the best interest of the United States to avoid involvement in the war. However, he knew “sooner or later, the threat to the European balance of power would have forced the United States to intervene in order to stop Germany’s drive for world domination” (Kissinger 369-370). But this was not Roosevelt’s main problem; Roosevelt had to prove to the American people that unlike World War I, US involvement was necessary. He had to “[transform] the nation’s concept of national interest and [lead] ‘a staunchly isolationist people’ into yet another global war” (handout).
not be something they can relate to therefore, it is not significant enough for them to fight for.