Women and their Involvement in World War II
analytical Essay
791 words
Women and their Involvement in World War II Women had a huge role in the World War II that so many do not recognize. Women were involved in many different jobs that allowed them to step out of the ordinary norm as the “typical housewife”, and dive into fierce hardworking jobs that until then only a man could do. Women jumped into the factories and many different roles that contributed to World War II, because the need for more American workers was crucial. A few roles of women prior to the World War I consisted of cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children. These were the basic fundamental jobs that women were expected of women to do,” (Campbell 1) .During this time men were the sole base of the household income, and the head provider for their family. Society had a standard role for what a woman should be. “During this generation girls were taught as children what their roles were as women,” (Campbell 1). If women decided to do something other than their standard role in society they were looked down upon. Some husbands would not let their wives go to work. Husbands during thought during this time period thought a women’s career should be at home. “Husbands found pride in knowing that their wives were at home at home, while they were working. To husbands this verified that they were doing their job as a man,” (Campbell 1). Though all this changed due to the notorious war of World War II. In the beginning of the World War of the World War II women were forced to enter the work force. “Due to enormous need for job laborers women filled the jobs that were freed by men leaving to serve the war,” (Hughes 2). Women faced many inequalities during this time. Like the refusal from some employers to hire women, or some hi... ... middle of paper ... ...me received demotions. The war allowed women to make decisions, and it gave them a chance to fight for their rights. Women’s several different roles during the war of Word War II are amazingly vast. During the World War II, women had a great role in fighting for our country. Undertook the hard work that has made this country what it is today. The involvement of women during the World War II has opened up the door for American women today, and the assurance that claims that we are capable of greatness. Work Cited • 1- Campbell, Jennifer, Women and World War II- Female Soldiers Women, New York: Random House-Broadway Books, 2004. 320 p. • 2- Hughes, Linda, Women of the Work Force, New York : Oxford University Press, 1985 • 3- Randolph, Timothy, World War II Women & the Home Front, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994. 189 p.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that women had a huge role in the world war ii that so many do not recognize. they were involved in many different jobs that allowed them to step out of the ordinary norm as the "typical housewife".
- Explains that women were expected to do basic fundamental jobs, such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children, before the world war i.
- Analyzes how women played a huge role in the work force during world war ii, but they also played an even bigger role during the war itself.
- Explains how the war affected the future of women in the workplace. women were driven to get an education and start their own careers.
- Explains that women's roles during the war of word war ii are amazingly vast. the involvement of women has opened up the door for american women today, and the assurance that we are capable of greatness.
Related
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- explanatory
- Women of the Second World Waranalytical essayBy the start of the Second World War in 1939, women had proven themselves capable of more than just motherhood and housewifery. In the first three decades of the 20th century alone, they won the right to vote, sought higher education, joined the workforce, and held strikes to attain better working conditions. Time and time again, women have overcome adversity and shown their full capacity to the world. However, the world is often blind to reality and chooses what it wants to see. This was the unfortunate case for military women during World War II. Recruits for the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) were not respected as their male counterparts were. To many, their enthusiastic involvement in military work was an anomaly and threat to both men and gender norms. As such, they were treated not as humans, but as women, an inferior being who needed guidance, rules to abide by, and others to control the most intimate aspects of their lives.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that women were held as virtual criminals in guarded compounds in port moresby, new guinea, to protect them from african american men who had been stereotyped as dangerous rapists.
- Explains meyer, leisa d., "creating g.i. jane: the regulation of sexuality and sexual behavior in the women's army corps during world war ii." feminist studies 1992: 590, 595.
- Argues that women's involvement in the military was an anomaly and threat to both men and gender norms.
- Explains that military women practiced manipulation to regain control over their sexuality. heterosexual women were crafty in getting what they wanted, even if it was at another’s expense.
940 wordsRead More - WWII: A Milestone or Pebble Regarding Women in the Workforceanalytical essayMost believe that World War II benefited women in the workforce. But did it really? World War II created war-related jobs and caused a large amount of men and voluntary enlistees. During World War II women played a part in the workforce in a way that was unpredicted in the U.S. history. The two pre existing factors of moral rights and society’s stereotypes collided with one another as the traditional female gender roles were diminished from war opportunities. Two arguments arise from this upset of social norms: a milestone for women’s experience and a lack of immediate and long-lasting change in gender roles after war. World War II served as a milestone for women in work. One aspect that World War II brought change in society’s gender roles. There was the shortage of manpower needed to fill the jobs created by war. As men were enlisted into the war, men were forced to leave their current jobs which left open opportunities for the women to fill these positions. During the war men had two options in the direction that they wanted to move: battling in war, or higher end jobs that were being abandoned due to the war. Either way, men were leaving jobs that needed to be filled in some way. This gave opportunities for women to fill these open positions in the workforce. In the book The Paradox of Change:American Women in the 20th Century, a man named William Chafe asserts that the female work force increased by 50% throughout World War II (121 Chafe). Not only were women gaining jobs at home, but the war created jobs that women would be able to pursue The United States Employment Service said that 80% of the jobs in war could easily be filled by women (Cafe 122).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that world war ii created war-related jobs and caused a large amount of men and voluntary enlistees.
- Explains that before world war ii, women were seen as stay-at-home mothers. women were lured into war-related jobs due to propaganda.
- Explains that the need to fill jobs led to diversity in age of female workers, and a change in the types of jobs that women filled.
- Explains that the workforce of women during world war ii was merely a "pebble" in the development of female workforce.
- Compares the statistics of women in the workforce prior to and during the war. they conclude that the increase of working women during war was an emergency situation rather than a long-lasting change.
- Argues that the society was unwilling to ignore previous stereotypes. this shows that there were no improvements on the rights of women in the workforce.
- Explains that women's work during world war ii took on two options: working at home and employment. they conclude that society ideally wanted women to take on both roles at the same time.
- Analyzes the lack of change in society after world war ii, stating that most men believe that women do not deserve equal job opportunities as men.
- Opines that the two ideas of female gender roles and women's rights collided throughout world war ii, and wwii is considered a "milestone" in the womens workforce.
1253 wordsRead More - The Life and Role of Wacs During WWIIexplanatory essayIn a 1944 magazine article, Eleanor Roosevelt claimed that American “women are serving actively in many ways in this war [World War II], and they are doing a grand job on both the fighting front and the home front.”1 While many women did indeed join the workforce in the 1940s, the extent and effects of their involvement were as contested during that time as they are today. Eleanor Roosevelt was correct, however, in her evaluation of the women who served on the fighting front. Although small in number due to inadequate recruitment, the women who left behind their homes and loved ones in order to enlist in the newly established Women’s Auxiliary Army Corp (WAAC), and later the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), were deemed invaluable to the war effort.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that eleanor roosevelt was correct in her evaluation of the women who served on the fighting front.
- Explains that the women's auxiliary army corps had difficulty acquiring its projected quota when it was established in may 1942.
- Explains that many women did not enlist simply because they didn't know what the wacs even did. these false perceptions stemmed from the war department's failure to explain what current wacs were doing, which was hesitant because as of january 1, 1944, over half of them were fulfilling secretarial roles.
- Explains that many dedicated women, out of a sense of patriotism, signed up to serve their country. although the wacs were initially intended to free soldiers from desk jobs, they became efficient, multipurpose workers.
- Explains that women held various roles in the u.s. army, from interpreters in north africa to meteorologists, photographers, and medical laboratory technicians.
- Explains that when a woman enlisted in the army, she could indicate her preference to serve as an air wac. the a.a.f. was impressed by the speed at which these women learned new tasks.
- Explains that the a.a.f. was not the only division pleased with the wacs' work. they were impressed by the efficacy and diligence of women workers.
- Explains that although the male g.i.s were appreciative of the females' work ethics, they were equally (if not more) fond of women's cooking.
- Explains that the wacs did not only work for and mingle with the g.i. soldiers; they lived like them. they slept in tents and stored their belongings in old bomb crates.
- Explains that wacs engaged in many forms of entertainment. exploring europe was considered a popular pastime.
- Explains that many discharged members of the women's army corp sought jobs in which they could utilize their newly acquired skills.
- Explains that the wacs were an indispensable component of the war effort. they were appreciated by male g.i.s and all others who benefitted from their diligent work.
- Cites excerpts from the chicago daily tribune and the saturday evening post.
- Analyzes korman, seymour, nangle, eleanor, and noderer, e.r.
1368 wordsRead More - Rosie The Riveter: Women's Role In World War IIexplanatory essayWomen played an important role in aiding the United States win World War II. World War II was a defining war that changed the way women are viewed in society, before the second world war, women were expected to be housewives or do certain women's job, such as nursing or being a domestic servant or shop assistant. The war changed the world for women forever. When the men were called to fight, women were called upon to take there positions in the word place they served as mechanics, engineers, tank drives, building ships, factories workers, air raid wardens, drive fire engines, plumbers, ambulance drivers, WRVS volunteers and nurses.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that women played an important role in helping the united states win world war ii. before the second world war, women were expected to be housewives or do certain women's jobs.
- Describes rosie the riveter as a symbol of feminism and women's economic power.
- Explains that rosie the riveter represented the women who worked in factories and shipyards. women who were encouraged to step up and take on male roles in the work place were all conceited.
492 wordsRead More - The Changing Roles of Women During World War Oneanalytical essayThe contribution of women to the war effort changed drastically throughout World War One and the 1920’s. Their role in the beginning of the war was not very significant. Women, for the most part, were expected to be primarily involved in "duties at home" and "women's work" but as time progressed, their roles during the war changed drastically due to employment, The Person’s Case and the change of women in society. Women's involvement in the war effort undoubtedly helped Canada win the war.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the contribution of women to the war effort changed drastically throughout world war one and the 1920's.
- Explains that women took over traditional work that men previously were responsible for, but their appearance into the workforce was greeted with hatred because male workers were worried that their determination to work for lower wages would put them out of work.
- Explains that before world war one, women's rights were limited. they were not allowed to work because they were supposed to be the person that takes care of the family.
- Analyzes how the women of the war were anxious to avoid returning to society's rules and roles. they didn't date and waited until men interested them with intentions of marriage.
- Explains that women's role in society changed drastically from the start of world war one to the 1920'
810 wordsRead More - What Are The Changes In Women's Roles Before Ww2explanatory essayBefore World War II , a woman’s job was to work in the kitchen, do all the cleaning and to stay home all day. Their role has drastically changed throughout the years. Women are now equal to men in the work field.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that before world war ii, a woman's job was to work in the kitchen, do all the cleaning, and stay home all day. their role has drastically changed throughout the years.
- Explains that women are now treated equally to men in the working field. they can work in factories and offices, be an executive for a business, or be part of the military.
- Explains that women stayed at home all day and night to cook and clean for their family, and rarely helped on the farm. once world war ii came around, their roles changed.
371 wordsRead More - Women's Employment in the 1940sanalytical essayKoussoudji, Sherrie A. and Laura J. Dresser. “Working class Rosies: Women Industrial Workers During World War II” The Journal of Economic History 51.2 (June 1992): 431-446
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the prevailing cultural attitudes about women's proper role might have benefited black women during the war years.
- Analyzes how the war helped black women's role in society and the gains they made. gluck argues that it may have been advantageous to be a woman, due to society viewing women as temporary and men as permanent in the workforce.
- Analyzes how the media portrayed war jobs as glamorous and exciting. rosie the riveter symbolized a romantic, womanly, heroic figure, and strength and perseverance.
- Explains that high war wages helped women improve their economic status, but when the war ended, the loss of their high paying war jobs forced them to take lower paying, often "female" employment.
- Analyzes how marye liked the mechanical work she did during the war, but accepted the cultural message that these were men's jobs that were only temporarily being filled by women. she returned to traditional lower paying work after the massive layoffs.
- Describes marye as a single working-class mother who lost her job at the end of the war due to the economic reality that men returning from war wanted their old jobs back and that the existing patriarchal society supported their claims to these jobs.
- Analyzes how the end of the war brought back prewar patriarchal values of domesticity, despite new ideas and values portrayed during recruitment propaganda.
- Explains that magazines and advertisements refocused on the career-marriage conflict to restore prewar values.
- Analyzes how the post's message to middle-class women reinforced their wartime jobs as temporary and that as men returned women should enjoy domestic bliss and happiness made possible by the war.
- Analyzes how propaganda directed towards women in the working-class shifted throughout the latter half of 1944. the magazine true story no longer published letters of women seeking advice about employment.
- Explains that while black women experienced modest gains during the war, in reconversion, they faced more discrimination than white women.
- Argues that while propaganda was not the sole reason women left the workforce, there is value in remembering and studying the propaganda from the time, because it evidences the patriarchal values held within the society.
- Analyzes how propaganda reflects the desires of the government and businesses to limit women's employment. the removal of childcare facilities created during the war made it difficult for women with young children to continue working.
- Explains that propaganda does not reflect the feelings of women, but the values and ideals reflected by propaganda show the influence patriarchal values held on society.
- Analyzes how patriarchal values prevented the role of women from changing after the war. patriotism encouraged women to enter the workforce and then forced them to leave.
- Explains hartmann, susan m., the home front and beyond: american women in the 1940s.
- Analyzes koussoudji, sherrie a., and laura j. dresser's "working class rosies: women industrial workers during world war ii" in the journal of economic history.
- Cites meyerowitz, joanne, "beyond the feminine mystique: a reassessment of postwar mass culture, 1946-1958".
- Explains mies, maria, patriarchy and accumulation on a world scale.
- Explains that the 1940s provided a drastic change in women's employment rates and society' s view of women. the use of patriotism in government propaganda initiated and encouraged women to change their role in society.
- Explains that many factors affected the changes in women's employment during the prewar period, the war years from 1942-1944, and the post-war years.
- Analyzes the two theories that explain the sudden drop in employed women at the end of the war. betty friedan pioneered the idea that discrimination enacted against women, played a significant role in their departure.
- Explains that patriarchy is based on the rule of fathers, but the values of society reflected the idea of mies' definition.
- Explains that patriarchal values led to society's acceptance of the belief that women took war jobs out of patriotic duty and self sacrifice, not economic need.
- Explains that women's employment rates increased when the united states entered the war. the numbers began to decrease at the end of 1944 and the beginning of 1945.
- Analyzes how the case study of ford motor company in the 1940s shows the drastic differences in women's employment around the war years.
- Analyzes how housewives at ford rose and fell with government propaganda, which encouraged and discouraged married women to enter the workforce.
- Analyzes how women from different backgrounds entered the workforce during the 1940s, and how the government adjusted its campaigns to racial and class differences.
- Explains that employers were reluctant to hire women when the idea of using women as a replacement for male labor first emerged. propaganda aimed at recruiting single women into defense jobs and did not focus on married women.
- Analyzes how government propaganda during the war years used different tactics to encourage women from the working-class to take defense jobs. president roosevelt set up the office of war information (owi).
- Explains how the government used the media to influence the public's views on women working and serving in the armed forces. the government created a magazine bureau with dorothy ducas as the head.
- Analyzes how propaganda promoted women's entry into the workforce out of patriotic duty to the country.
- Analyzes how honey used the saturday evening post as an example of a magazine containing propaganda used to influence middle-class women.
- Explains that advertisements promoted positive images of women doing "men's work". advertisements glorified rosie the riveter by showing women wearing overalls at work and at home.
- Analyzes how the stress of a woman's patriotic duty allowed society to accept women in roles traditionally preserved for men.
- Analyzes how maureen honey used the magazine the true story to represent how propaganda influenced working-class women.
- Analyzes how the class difference between the audience of true story and the saturday evening post resulted in the magazines using different strategies to accomplish the same goal.
- Analyzes how recruitment propaganda increased the positive portrayal of white women, while the representation of black women in the media mostly disappeared.
- Analyzes how gluck describes the life of tina hill in rosie the riveter revisited. while she liked her job at north american aircraft, she also faced overt discrimination.
6013 wordsRead More - Women in World War IIanalytical essayOn December 7th, 1941, approximately 360 Japanese aircrafts attacked the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii1. The Pearl Harbor attack took the American Army completely by surprise, and angered the country as a whole. Americans took the Pearl Harbor attack as a personal blow, and changed the minds of all who still believed in American neutrality in the war. The U.S. Congress declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941, officially entering the U.S. into World War II. With the start of the war, came many changes in the everyday life of ordinary Americans. There were many shortages in household items, such as flashlights, batteries, waffle irons, plastic toys, and tea2. On the East Coast, the supply of gasoline was reduced by 20%, and the rationing of many household items and food was introduced into many homes of American citizens3. One of the biggest changes in ordinary American life during this time was brought about by the draft, which resulted in the loss of roughly 12,209,240 American men by 1945 who had gone to join the armed forces4. During World War II, the number of men away at war resulted in America being in desperate need of more factory hands to manufacture weapons and supplies for the troops and of service in the military itself. The women of America then found themselves being thrust into these positions and offered occupations of higher respect, rank, and pay than previously. The immense number of women who participated in World War II played an imperative role in increasing the freedom of American women in the workplace, in the military, and on the home front.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the pearl harbor attack took the american army by surprise, and changed the minds of all who believed in american neutrality in the war.
- Explains that the massive number of women who worked in factories and workplaces was crucial to the war effort because they manufactured almost all of the materials and weapons that were used by the army during world war ii.
- Describes how the office of war information created a popular propaganda poster of "rosie the riveter" to encourage women to go to work.
- Explains that the women's auxiliary army corps (waac) was established for the purpose of making available to the national defense the knowledge, skill, and special training of women.
- Reviews penny colman's rosie the riveter: women working on the home front in world war ii.
- Analyzes sherna b. gluck's rosie the riveter revisited: women, the war, and social change.
- Analyzes jeanne m. holm's in defense of a nation: servicewomen in world war ii.
- Explains that the army nurse corps (anc) was the first group of women who were officially a part of the u.s. army, although they didn't have the same rank or pay as men.
1371 wordsRead More - Significant Impacts of the World Wars on American Societyanalytical essayThroughout the twentieth century, both World War I and World War II significantly impacted American society in several ways. From 1917 to 1918, the United States’ involvement in World War I began an increase in the number of women in the workplace that would steadily continue throughout much of the twentieth century. The United States once again played a major role in World War II from 1941 to 1945, and this war is actually seen as a turning point for women in the workplace. During the two world wars, women workers were impacted by discrimination, the danger of the work they completed, and the portrayal of women in propaganda during both world wars, and yet the different time periods of the two world wars led to differences in how women were impacted in the workplace. Although there are several similarities and differences in how World War I and World War II impacted women in the workplace throughout the 20th century, both world wars played a role in challenging the accepted role of women in society.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that both world wars i and ii impacted american society in several ways. the united states played a major role in world war ii from 1941 to 1945.
- Analyzes how the world wars had a significant impact on how women were viewed in the workplace.
- Analyzes how both world war i and wwii impacted women in the workplace, citing carrie brown and alice kessler-harris.
- Explains how the us crop corps' women's land army of america helped save the agricultural industry during both world wars.
- Compares how women in the workplace were impacted by the two world wars. propaganda was used to support the war effort and to promote women entering the workforce.
- Analyzes how propaganda produced during the two world wars portrayed women as heroes who successfully completed what was formerly thought of as ‘man’s work’ by using both their physical strength and mechanical competence.
- Analyzes how propaganda encouraged women to take men's place in the workplace during both world wars.
- Explains that america experienced a period of peace and an overall desire to return to the way things were before world war i, but that was not fully possible since the war had such an impact on american society. women were able to achieve the right to vote in 1920 with the passing of the 19th amendment.
- Explains that married female workers played a more prominent role in the workforce between the two world wars. they were criticized for taking jobs from the men during the great depression.
- Analyzes how the "feminine mystique" developed during the interwar period to make housework attractive for women.
- Analyzes the differences between how women were impacted by their role in the workplace during the two world wars.
- Explains that women's entering the workforce during world war ii was not revolutionary because they had already made a huge impact in the workplace during the first world war.
- Compares how women in both world wars were involved in a variety of jobs, including producing war supplies at munitions factories and supporting the war effort through volunteer work.
- Opines that ii as a turning point for women in the workforce." journal of women's history.
- Explains that african-american women faced the most discrimination in the workforce during the two world wars.
- Explains that world war ii was the first time descriptive titles were applied to women in the workforce. rosie the riveter was one of the most popular cultural icons to appear during this time.
3280 wordsRead More - World War II: The Duties of Womenanalytical essayWhen people think of women’s role during World War II, they may instantly imagine the famous poster of “Rosie the Riveter,” a female with a bandana around her head and flexing her muscles. This poster certainly symbolizes the roles of women during wartime; however, it represents the women working in the factories while the men were in combat. Consequently, many may unintentionally disregard the abundant number of females serving in the military. Although these females were not permitted to fight in combat, they served in women divisions such as the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). Discussing her service during World War II with interviewer Arthur L. Kelly on Wednesday, July 17, 1985, in Frankfort, Kentucky, Clara Margaret Fort recounted her nearly 25 year career serving with the WAVES. Despite Fort’s inability to remember numerous dates and names throughout the interview, possibly due to her old age, she did discuss the various training she underwent as an enlisted cadre, as well as the different positions she held. Additionally, she discussed the perceptions male militants had of their counterparts, some of which were the causation of gender discrimination. Thus, the interview is an adequate representation of both the roles and discrimination females experienced while serving during the Second World War.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the poster of "rosie the riveter" symbolizes the roles of women during wartime; however, it represents the women working in the factories while the men were in combat.
- Describes how fort was sworn in as an enlisted cadre and sent north for training. she was promoted and placed in charge of fellow female corpsmen and managed a military recreational center in texas.
- Analyzes how fort's memoir illustrates the type of roles and discrimination females experienced while serving during this time period.
- Analyzes how fort felt discriminated against because of her gender, and how the first woman in the navy (joy hancock) to be promoted to captain did not occur until after the war.
- Analyzes how arthur kelly directed most questions to explain discrimination, rather than finding situations in which fort felt no prejudice or lack of respect because of her gender. kelly may have tried to direct fort's thoughts innocently since she is an older woman.
- Opines that the interview provides an adequate representation of the military life experienced by fort during world war ii. however, some interviewees' memory may not be as pristine as in their younger days.
- Concludes that the interview was informative and engaging, shining light on the gender inequalities during world war ii. fort recommended other females to join the service as it helped develop important qualities that she felt are beneficial throughout all stages of life.
1277 wordsRead More