Preparing the American Homefront for War: The Impact of WWII Mobilization Efforts

1. Preparation

2. Draft and Budget • Selective Training and Service Act – 1940 • peacetime war draft. • 21-36 year-old males • military budget increased from 2-10 billion

3. War Production Board and Office of War Mobilization • WPB--Converted peacetime industries to war industry • Provided raw materials to companies transitioning to war goods. • OWM—James F. Byrnes appointed to head the organization • The organization centralized resources to fuel the war. • Byrnes was central in running the country during wartime

4. Military Production • Ford utilized his assembly line to produce b-24 bombers. • 1 per hour. • Henry Kaiser used the same mass production techniques to build Liberty Ships to carry troops and supplies • Cost Plus– Military paid cost plus a % for profits to the industries • Production soared

6. Military Production Numbers • 300,000 Planes • 80000 Landing crafts • 100,000 armored cars and tanks • 5600 merchant ships • 6,000,000 guns • 41,000,000,000 rounds of amunition

7. Willow Run

8. Workers • Wages rose by 50% between 40 and 45 • Union Membership increased by more than 5 million • The number of strikes also rose sharply

9. Financing the War • 9 Billion in 1939 to 95 Billion in 1945 • 1941-1945– 321 Billion (10x WWI) • War bonds of 186 billion, private loans and tax increases paid for the war • National debt increased by 200 billion

10. Objectives: Examine the Homefront • Do Now: What were some of the ways in which the US geared up for war.

11. Life on the Homefront • OPA Office of Price Administration helped control inflation • Rationing of scarce food and consumer goods • Ration books- Once gone- no more • 2 rations books per month • Canned goods • Meat, fish and dairy • Gas Rationing • Nylons, Zippers, Rubber, etc

12. Enlisting Public Support • Victory gardens- People grow their own food 1/3 of country’s veggies by 1943 • Blackouts- Bombing raid preparation • Recycle metal, • “Conserve and collect” • “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”

13. Federal Power • Encourage Agriculture • Raise crop prices– Why? • Despite this– 5 million left farms • Enable borrowing • Low-cost loans for retooling factories • Subsidies for factory construction • Establishing housing • Detroit/Willow Run

14. Enlisting Support • Propaganda campaign • Posters, cartoons, newspapers, books, advertisements and movies. • Movies played an important role in inspiring support. • Actors and actresses continued to promote the war effort off screen • Sacrifice • Patriotism/Nationalism

15. Consequences of Propaganda Campaign and “Patriotism” • The need for labor helped women and blacks to gain a foothold in the workplace • FDR passed the FEPC (Fair Employment Practices Commission) to quell discriminatory practices • Nevertheless– Riots between blacks and white and contradictions in values • Fighting for equality abroad while promoting hatred of minorities at home • Black soldier asks for his tombstone to read, “here lies a black man killed fighting a yellow man for the protection of a white man.” • During WWII NAACP membership grew from 18000 to 500000

16. Mexican Americans • More than 400,000 fought in the war • Bracero (work hands) program set up to employ thousands of Mexican workers. • Many Mexican-Americans sought jobs in factories • Ethnic tensions resulted • Zoot Suit riots

17. Italians, Germans, Japanese and Antisemitism • Restrictions • No more naturalization • Restrictions on mobility • Restrictions on items that might be used for sabotage (cameras, shortwave radios, etc.) • Internment • 1600 Italians • 10000 Italians forced to move from W. Coast • 10905 Germans, Bulgarians, Hungarians and Romanians Interned • 100000 Japanese

18. WWII Images

19. Working to Win

28. Stay on the Down Low

35. Join the Cause

39. Anti-Japanese (German) Sentiment

43. Conservation

50. Paying for War