UNIT 7: WORLD WAR II & THE COLD WAR

WORLD WAR II:ON THE HOMEFRONT

Entering the War

Neutrality Acts

No weapons bought or sold to nations at war. Only civilian goods sold on cash and carry basis.

Neutrality Act of 1939

All types of

goods sold

as cash and

carry basis.

Lend-Lease Act

Give aid and support to any nation vital to our security interests.

Preparing for war

Like during WWI, the government stepped in to coordinate production.

- Office of Price Administration: prevented inflation from shortages

- War Production Board: converted industries to make war goods

- Office of War Mobilization: a superagency that ran the country while Roosevelt ran the war

Financing the War

Government was willing to spend whatever was necessary to fight the war.

• Higher taxes paid about 41% of the costs.• Revenue Act of 1942 increased the # of

Americans paying income taxes & introduced “pay-as-you-go”

• War Bonds: as in WWI• Deficit Spending: spending borrowed

money and creating huge national debt.

War Bonds

DAILY LIFE

Shortages and controls– Wartime shortages were common– Metal for zippers & typewriters was used to make

guns– Fashion changed to save cloth– Sugar was in short supply when the Philippines fell

to Japan– Office of Price Administration (OPA): froze rents

and prices & rationing scarce goods through the use of coupon books

WOMEN AND THE WAR

• New Jobs for Women: Like WWI, women moved into factory jobs when men went to war.

• Problems for Working Women: – Worried about leaving their children alone– Laws regulating equal pay for equal work

were ignored– Women were still responsible for taking care

of home and family while working

WWII & Children

DISCRIMINATION• African Americans:

– Soldiers were segregated – Double “V” campaign: victory in the war & for

equal rights

• Native Americans: had to adapt to life off the reservations

• Japanese Americans: – Hostility turned to hatred after Pearl Harbor– Internment Camps: remote inland areas

where Japanese Americans were relocated to live during the war