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Learn how the US converted its economy for war production, including the mobilization of industries, innovative production methods, and important military advancements during World War II.
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Chapter 25America & World War II Section 1 Mobilizing for War
Converting the Economy • The U.S. industrial output was twice that as Germany and 5x that of Japan. • Best way to mobilize the economy was to give industry an incentive to move quickly. • Gov’t signed cost-plus contracts agreeing to pay a company whatever the manufacturing cost, plus a guaranteed % of the costs as profit.
Reconstruction Finance Corporation • Set up during the Depression. • Made loans to companies to help them with the cost of converting to war production.
American Industry • After Pearl Harbor, almost all major American industries and 200,000 companies converted to war production.
Tanks Replace Cars • *Don’t Write* • The automobile factories turned to the production of trucks, jeeps, and tanks. • The also built artillery, rifles, mines, helmets, pontoon bridges, cooking pots, and other supplies, producing nearly 1/3 of the military equipment that was manufactured during the war.
B-24 Bombers • Henry Ford created an assembly line for B-24 bombers.
Liberty Ships • Henry Kaiser built the Liberty Ship, a basic cargo ship used during the war. • They were welded instead of riveted, making them cheaper and easier to build and difficult to fall apart and sink.
War Production Board • Set priorities and production goals to control the distribution of raw materials and supplies.
Office of War Mobilization • Settled different arguments between different agencies.
Selective Service & Training Act • 1st peacetime draft in American history. • Numbers were overwhelming at first. • Named GIs, after their uniforms meaning “Government Issue,” went through basic training for 8 weeks.
A Segregated Army • At the beginning of the war the military was completely segregated. • A.A. were organized into their own military units with white officers.
Double “V” • A.A. were disfranchised, meaning they were often denied the right to vote. • The Pittsburgh Courier, launched the Double “V” campaign stating A.A. should join the army to win a double victory abroad and at home.
Tuskegee Airmen • The army air force created the 99th Pursuit Squadron, an A.A. unit. • They played a most important role in Italy.
Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp • 1st time women were allowed in the military. • By 1943 they became part of regular war operations. • Replaced by the Women’s Army Corp.
Americans Go To War • 1941 the American troops were untrained and had little experience. • They did, however, suffer the fewest casualties in combat of all the major powers.
End of Section 1 Next: The European and Pacific Theaters