The HomefrontThe Homefront

Part 2

Getting Citizens Involved• It was important to have the citizens

at home feel like they were doing their part during the war.

• Propaganda encouraged citizen support.

• People also encountered rationing of various items because supply was short.

Social Impact of WWIIAfrican Americans

• In 1941, 1 in 5 were jobless

• President signed Executive Order 8802 which opened jobs and job training programs in defense plants “without discrimination because race, creed, color, or national origin”

• More that 2 million migrated north

• Fought in military in segregated units

Mexican Americans• Served in military, contributed to

economy, but face discrimination

• Agreement between Mexico & U.S. providing for transportation, food, shelter, and medical attention for thousands of “braceros”

• Brought a rise in Latino population in southern California

• Zoot Suit Riots

Native Americans• 25,000 fought in the military

• Migrated to urban centers for defense jobs

• Cultural transition brought a sense of having lost their roots

• Played an important role as “code talkers” in the Pacific theater

Japanese Americans• Hostility towards Japanese Americans

grew to hatred and hysteria after Pearl Harbor

• War Relocation Authority removed all people of Japanese ancestry to internment camps away from west coast

• After 1943, Japanese were accepted into armed forces and many won recognition for their courage in Europe

Holocaust & America • Hitler’s idea to rid the world of

undesirables, mostly the entire Jewish race.

• Over 6 million Jewish people were killed in this genocide.

• America played a role in the liberation of the death camps.

• Nuremberg Trials, Nov 1945, 12 Nazi leaders received the death penalty for crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, and war crimes

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