The Role of Women in the Second World War

The Second World War which occurred from 1939 to 1945 was a deadly war that included a vast majority of countries. Many nations fought, and there was no distinction in the way civilians and military fought. Women, men, and even the youth fought during World War II. In the United States of America, women played critical roles during the war, both in military uniform and at home. The women, not only took care of their fathers, daughters, brothers, and husbands to the war effort, but they also gave their energy, time and even others entirely gave their lives to the fights. Ethnic minorities also served in the US forces during World War II. All citizens, regardless of race, were subject to the draft and they fought defending America. Therefore, this essay gives a concise analysis of the roles of ethnic minorities and women during the Second World War. The paper describes the manner in which race and gender in America were affected by war mobilization and wartime experiences.  The article approaches race and gender issues by focusing on sexism and racism issues that were exposed and addressed by the American government and public during World War II.

Segregation in War Towns

Before World War II, American government segregated the American military in different war towns based on gender and their race. For the ethnic segregation, the United States of America’s armed forces included a separation of the white people, quotas and there was an outright ban on blacks and other people of different colors from serving in the military. Perhaps racial segregation has been part of the American history since the American revolution. Although the executive order 9981 officially ended all forms of racial segregation in America’s military, still some forms of racial segregation continued after the WWII until the Korean war. Therefore, during the second world war, the black people and other people who were not original inhabitants of the United States of America were allowed to join the Armed forces and fight for the country’s defense.

Women in Labor During the War

During the Second World War, women were of vital importance in defending America. Apart from daily factory work and other home jobs, statistics show that more than 350,000 women join the American Armed forces. Before the Japanese’s attack on Pearl Harbor, America was so reluctant in allowing their women to join the military. When the Second World War emerged, many teenagers quickly married and went overseas to fight. As the men fought abroad, women back at home worked in the defense plants, and they volunteered for war-related organizations. Other women served in military uniform both at home and overseas took clerical and office jobs in the military to free men to easily fight in battle.

Economic and Military Impact of Women in the Workforce

The act of women taking both clerical and office jobs during the Second World War had both economic and military impacts on the government. Immediately when men left to war, the women became proficient housekeepers, cooks, able to manage finances and they were able to learn skills like fixing cars. Women worked hard in factories, and thus there was an increase in the supply of food to the men who were in the battlefield. Women also learned how to quickly, repair airplanes, perform laboratory technician jobs, drive trucks, rig parachutes, serve as radio operators and analyze photographs. These new roles increased technological innovation in America and also the supply of labor that is necessary for economic growth. Women’s participation also had a military impact on the US government. Women flew military aircraft, they were able to test-fly all the newly repaired planes, and they were also able to train the anti-craft artillery gunners by considerably acting as flying targets. Other women served as nurses who cared for the injured men from the battlefield and thus contributed to America’s military breakthrough in the second world war.

Segregation of the Armed Forces

African Americans in War: Fascism and racism issues were prevalent in America before the beginning of WWII. When the United States of America entered World War II, many African-Americans joined the American military in their quest for ending racism and fascism in America. The black Americans raised concerns such as they wanted equal access to employment, education, voting rights, and education. Many black people believed that the only way that their interests would have been addressed was to join the military and fight for America. Perhaps these concerns were what prompted James Thompson, who was an only 26-years-old citizen from Wichita to Pittsburgh Courier editors concerning this issue of racial segregation in the American army. Indeed, Thompson and other African-Americans contributed to defeating the Axis powers and Nazi Germany.

Even after winning these two great battles, still, the American government did not take into consideration the issue of racial discrimination. In summer 1943, ethnic violence even raged across the nation. More than 240 reports were touching on interracial battles in marines, cities, and military bases such as Philadelphia, Beaumont, Texas, Los Angeles and Harlem. Perhaps these events inspired Hughes Langston to write a poem called “Beaumont to Detroit: 1943” to address the issue of racism in the nation.

Japanese-Americans in War: During the initiation stage of World War II, the Japanese-Americans were forced to relocate from their original homes in Pacific Coast since the public, and the military leaders were in the opinion of fanning unproven fears of sabotage. As the war continues, the young ”Nisei’, which comprised for Japanese-Americans, decided to volunteer and serve in the Armed forces, many of the ‘Nisei’ worked in United States Merchant Marines. The Japanese participation in the WWII helped in reducing the incidence of military racial segregation in America since they effectively fought and defended America.

The Executive Order 9066

During WWII, President Roosevelt was advised by executives of the American federal government to authorize the intendment of the Japanese-Americans. The executive order 9066 dated 19th February 1942, gave America’s military powers to ban any resident from a fifty to the sixty-mile-wide coastal area, stretching from Washington to California, and then extending into Southern Arizona (Conrat, & Conrat, 1972). The order also authorized the transportation of Japanese-Americans to assembly centers that were hastily set up. Perhaps the law subjected the Japanese- Americans to grievous racial segregations. And their rights as American citizens were extremely violated.

Effects of Wartime Propaganda on the Japanese-American Communities

After Peal Harbors attack, many Americans were suspicious of the Japanese immigrants and the Japanese-Americans. Americans Accused these citizens of Japan ancestry of espionage and the suspicion is portrayed in the most known war propaganda films called ”Know Your Enem:1945).  The movie left the people in doubt, with other white Americans believing that the Japanese were spies and they were responsible for the Pearl Harbor attack. Therefore, the propaganda stirred the drafting of the executive order 9066 by President Franklin Roosevelt. The propaganda also propelled the racial discrimination in America.

Conclusion

Indeed, American women were of vital importance during the second world war. Although women were left at home to work in industries and at homes, they developed skills that later turned out to be beneficial to America’s economy and military success. During WWII, there was racial segregation in the military. Although the Japanese-Americans and African-Americans were racially discriminated, they vowed to join the American Military, and they fought in defense of America, and also for their freedom from racial oppression and discrimination. However, after the Pearl Harbor Attack, war propaganda was spread that the Japanese-Americans were responsible for spying America. The propaganda had detrimental effects to the Japanese-Americans. The president drafted the executive order 9066 as a result of this war propaganda, and thus propelled racism In America to higher levels.

References

Conrat, M., & Conrat, R. (1972). Executive Order 9066: The Internment of 110,000 Japanese Americans.