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Mobilizing for Defense: America's Response to Pearl Harbor

Learn how America rallied after Pearl Harbor, with 5 million enlistments, women joining the fight, minority contributions, factory conversion, scientific mobilization, and war production efforts during World War II.

keith-norris
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Mobilizing for Defense: America's Response to Pearl Harbor

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  1. MOBILIZING FOR DEFENSE

  2. After Pearl Harbor… • Japan thought America would avoid further conflict • Japan Times said America was “trembling in their shoes” • “Remember Pearl Harbor” was America’s rallying cry

  3. Americans Rush to Enlist • 5 million Americans enlisted after Pearl Harbor • Selective Service expanded the draft • Eventually provided extra 10 million soldiers

  4. World War II Recruitment Posters

  5. Women Join the Fight • George Marshall pushed for formation of Women’s Auxiliary Army Corp (WAAC) • Women worked in non-combat roles • Nurses • Ambulance Drivers • Radio Operators • Pilots

  6. Women’s Roles in World War II

  7. All Americans Fought • Despite discrimination at home, minority populations contributed to the war effort • 1 million African Americans • 300,000 Mexican Americans • 33,000 Japanese Americans • 25,000 Native Americans • 13,000 Chinese Americans

  8. A Production Miracle • Americans converted the auto industry into war industry • Nation’s auto plants began to produce: • Tanks • Planes • Boats • Command cars • Many other industries also converted to war-related supplies

  9. American Factories

  10. Labor’s Contribution • By 1944, nearly 18 million workers were laboring in war industries • 3 times the number in 1941 • More than 6 million were women and nearly 2 million were minorities

  11. Mobilization of Scientists • In 1941, FDR created the Office of Scientific Research and Development to bring scientists into the war effort • Focused on radar and sonar to locate submarines • Also the scientists worked on penicillin and pesticides like DDT

  12. Office of Scientific Research and Development

  13. Manhattan Project • Most important achievement of OSRD was the secret development of the atomic bomb • Einstein wrote to FDR warning him that Germany was attempting to develop such a weapon • Code used to describe American efforts to build the bomb was “Manhattan Project”

  14. Einstein’s Letter to FDR

  15. Federal Gov’t Takes Control of Inflation • With the price of goods threatening to rise out of control, FDR created Office of Price Administration • OPA froze prices on most goods and encouraged purchase of war bonds to fight inflation

  16. War Production Board • To ensure troops had ample resources, FDR created WPB • WPB decided which companies would convert to wartime production • Also decided how to allocate raw materials to those industries

  17. Collection Drives • WPB also organized nationwide drives to collect: • Scrap iron and tin cans • Paper, rags, and cooking fat • Additionally, the OPA set up a system of rationing • Households had allocations of scarce goods—gas, meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, etc.

  18. Rationing Coupons

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