Civil defense

For 3 years the U.S. was able to stay separated from the war that swept Europe but after December 7, 1941 the nation's mind set changed. Wide spread atriotism made citizens eager to help with the war over seas as well as at home. Numerous civil defenses emerged. Groups such as the Ground Observer Corps (GOC) attracted 600,000 civilians to be place spotters. every day they would man posts located three hundred miles inland and report every aircraft spotted. These sotters included men, women, and children (Wensyle). another more memorable form of civil defense was the air-raid drills. Families across the country stored helmets, flashlights, food, and other supplies in the event of an attack (Netscher). when practice sirens would sounds families would hand blackout curtains in their windows and turn out the lights and wait by candle of flashlight for the "all clear". In schools children would practice air-raid drills by crouching under their desks, ducking and covering (Netscher).

One of the most significant ways that americans contributed on the home front was by factories producing war materials for the Allied forces. Many factories completely changed their usual production to help the war effort. Canneries made parts for merchant ships, bedspread manufacturers made mosquito netting, and a soft drink company loaded shells ith explosives (Wensyle). henry ford, a car manufacturer build one of the larger defense lants in the country that produced B-24 bombers. By the end of the war approximately 300,000 planes, 87,000 ships and landing crafts, 100,000 tanks, 47 million tons of artillery shells, and 44 billion rounds of small-arms ammunition was produced on american soil (Wensyel). Throughout world War II U.S. citizens were anxious and eager to do whatever they could to protect their country at home and abroad.

Netscher, C. (2009). Home Front: Second World War. Journal of the Lancaster County Historial society, 111(2), 56-84

Wensyel, J. (1995). Home Front. (cover story). American History, 30(2), 44.

Propaganda in Hollywood

The propaganda that was used during WWII was extremely powerful. They pushed a lot of issues not would not have normally been brought up. Many Americans did not want to go to war. The people did not want to go to war in 1914 and they certainly did not want to go now. So with that the government used a pro-war style propaganda. The image above shows one type of propaganda. The idea of "it can happen here" was used to give examples of why America should enter the war. This was used before Pearl Harbor, and after that happened everything changed. The war did not seem so far away any more. After the U.S. entered the war the propaganda was heard on the radio and seen visually. Posters were still for the majority of the propaganda. During World War II the U.S. had one of the most successful propaganda campings. It helped with the production of labor and weapons. Many people this helped the U.S. win the war.

Another way propaganda was used through Hollywood. During this time there were many films in the 1940's that were centered around war. Many of the films showed patriotic themes. You have movies like Casablanca which showed that in the times of war you have men that would sacrifice themselves. There were also some movies and plays that were anti-fascist . Some would show characters trying to out-wit the Nazi's. You would also have cartoon characters like Bug's Bunny used in propaganda posters. Also they were Loony Toons cartoons that were banned because they were seen as racist because they were making fun of Japanese and Nazi's. Many other cartoons like Donald Duck was seen making fun of Nazi's. For example look at the two images below.

This seemed to be a very common theme in the 1940's.

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/ww2/american/amerprop.htm

http://www.filmsite.org/40sintro4.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjLfyooJQEc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjLfyooJQEc

Victory Gardens

Victory Gardens
Victory Gardens during WWII was one of the only ways people could get food and or make money buy selling what they grew. Victory Gardens were a way to keep the food supply up for families and even the troops.Several famers had been growing for years and now it was time for their “cousins” to grow and get into the act. Since the government rationed things such as milk, cheese, sugar, flour, meats, eggs, canned goods, and just about anything you can grow in a garden; families had to find away for them to get into their homes themselves. Victory gardens was a huge positive and made families money and food on their tables.
Where ever they could grow they would. They used backyards, empty lots, and even city rooftops. One thing they did was they would pull together with their neighbors and one family would grow some things and the other families would all do something different that way they could come together and be a cooperatives. One interesting thing was for women to learn how to grow certain things it would be in magazines, kind of like a recipe. During this time, over 20 million Victory Gardens were planted and help people out greatly.
Once World War II ended so did Victory Gardens. By the spring of 1946, all victory gardens were over with. Victory Gardens were always publicized in things like magazines, posters and even radio if the families had access to them. All in all Victory Gardens made a huge difference in the communities and help families out like crazy.








Cities:

http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/crops_02.html. By: Claudia Reinhardt

Images by: pennylibrarians.wordpress.com/.../

Japanese Internment

     Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued executive order 9066, 1942, which lead to the evacuation of Japanese-Americans to concentration camps around the western U.S. There was no reason for the incarceration of Japanese-Americans since they had committed no crime or treason (Jones 2005). Over half of the Japanese-Americans incarcerated were children (“Children of the Camps” 1999). The conditions of the camps were primitive and uncomfortable. Toilets were lined up, back to back, with no privacy. Prisoners had to hold up a towel in an effort for privacy (“Children of the Camps” 1999). The floors were unfinished in crowded eating areas. There were 10 camps around the western U.S. in mostly arid desolate areas. 

     Leading up to the internment, the government and Hollywood ran a campaign of propaganda against the Japanese. This fostered feelings of hatred and racism in the general public, toward the Japanese. This was compounded by the already tense situation between farmers in the west and Japanese immigrants (Jones 2005). The propaganda included cartoons presenting the Japanese as a vermin (“Jap Trap”) that couldn’t be defeated, only obliterated (Sundquist 1988). Other propaganda was spread by Hollywood such as Frank Capra’s movie depicting the lifestyles of the Japanese enemy as ruthless rapists and militants (1945). Propaganda even showed up in children’s shows such as Popeye to teach children songs like “You’re a Sap, Mr. Jap” (Darlandchuck 2010). Not everyone supported the internment though, protesting that there was no reason for mass relocation (Jones 2005). 

     Within the camps were violent conflicts among the prisoners that arose from loyalty screening. The government made an effort to weed out troublemakers and draft dodgers. This involved two questions; will you fight for the U.S. military, and will you renounce allegiance to Japan. This loyalty screening was ineffective because interned prisoners couldn’t justify serving a country that imprisoned them and those ineligible for citizenship feared foreswearing any allegiance to Japan would leave them without a country (Sundquist 1988). A rift formed between the two groups with violent outbursts. 

     The camps were closed in 1945 and by 1988 congress passed legislation awarding restitution payments of $20,000 each to 60,000 surviving internees (Jones 2005). Although, some feel this debt cannot be repaid with money since there is a lack of historical understanding and was basically swept under the table (Sundquist 1988).

Researched and Written by Jonathan Mueller

Works Cited

Children of the Camps: The Documentary. Dir. Stephen Holsapple. Center for Asian American
     Media, 1999. DVD.

Darlandchuck. Popeye The Sailor - 01 - You're A Sap Mr. Jap.flv. Film. Youtube.com. Web. 19
     Oct. 2010.

“Instructions to Japanese.” Photograph. Wikipedia.org. Wikipedia, 27 Aug. 2006. Web. 19 Oct.
     2010

 “Jap Trap.” Photograph. Historymatters.gmu.edu. History Matters, 14 Oct. 2009. Web. 19 Oct.
     2010.

Jones, Jacqueline, et. al. Created Equal: A History of the United States. New Jersey: Prentice
     Hall, 2011, 2008, 2005. Print

Know Your Enemy: Japan. Dir. Frank Capra. Prod. U.S. War Department, 1945. DVD.

Sundquist, Eric J. "The Japanese--American Internment." American Scholar 57.4 (1988): 529.
     Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 19 Oct. 2010.

Air Raids on the U.S.

By Harvey Gray

The first air raid that the United States was involved in was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. On December 6, 1941 President Roosevelt had recieved a message intercepted by military intelligence that Japan was terminating its relations with United States because of the heavy western sanctions on Japan. As President Roosevelt read this and he said "this means war". The next morning Japan had reached Pearl Harbor and bombed it taking out nearly all of the navy fleet that was their. About eight Americanbattleships were destroyed along with thirteen other navy vessels that were either sunk or badly damaged. Around 200 military aircraftwere destroyed and around 3000 military personnel were killed or wounded. At the same time time Pearl Harbor was being attacked there were several other locations under attack. This was the entrance of Japan in the war on Germany's and Italy's side. All the ships were destroyed with the exception of the Oklahoma, Utah, and the Arizona and all of those ships all saw actions in the war later on. This attacked embarked on the United States to enter the war on the allied side. The United States after the bombing of Pearl Harbor went on to Tokyo Japan and bombed them on retaliation to let everyone know that if you come over to our home and attack we will come to yours and attack.

Rosie the Riveter

By Jennifer Preston

At the beginning of the United States entrance to World War II many men were drafted into the military. Due to the loss in number of men from drafts many companies were left to fulfill contracts for production of war equipment, but no men to finish the work. In order to fill these empty positions the government decided to establish campaigns to promote women to work for the war efforts. There were over 125 million advertisements including magazines, newspapers, songs, TV shows and movies aimed at getting women to work war jobs. A song Rosie the Riveter became popular at this time and then was even more publicized by the famous artist Norman Rockwell’s image of Rosie. The government used the character Rosie to portray working women as loyal, pretty, and patriotic.

At this time society only wanted this to be a temporary relief. Husbands did not want their wives working and people were worried with out mothers that juvenile delinquency would go up. But society slowly started to accept and even admire these women. Over 18 million women ended up working during WWII. Many faced discrimination from their male counterparts, but came to be well respected in the workforce. They received specialized training but only earned 60% of the male’s wages. Women came to find that they loved working and learning new skills. But as the war ended women were pushed out of their jobs or had to find ones that were lower paying and considered womanly. Still record numbers of women stayed in the workforce. The Rosie’s of WWII had created a new era for the women of the future.

Conscientious Objectors

Conscientious Objectors

War was not the perfect idea for everyone at that time. Everyone was not eager to serve in the war. Many people protested and had different reasons for not to join the war. Conscientious objector can be defined as a person who claimed the right to perform in the military services. Some of these objectors came to their beliefs on their own; others were members of several Christian denominations that are known as the historic peace churches. These include the Quakers, Mennonites, Church of the Brethren and Seventh Day Adventists. In York County, Nebraska, Henderson is a predominantly Mennonite community. People objected in moral and religious basis in taking part in the war and any kind of violence. The conscientious objectors were jailed or penalized during the time of First World War But during the Second World War congress recognized the contentious objectors to be morally and ethically right. Hence the congress created a new law under which the contentious objectors had two options, one they could go to the military but serve in the medical corps or other one to do non combat duties or alternate duties here at home and work for national importance. . Being conscientious objectors was almost considered to be non patriot or cowards. Although the experiences of conscientious objectors in the First World War meant that they were treated more humanely in the Second, their views were still often misunderstood and scorned, and their families (and careers) suffered. The Conscientious Objectors s worked to demonstrate that they were not cowards and to sow the seeds for justice and peace in the future. Many of them helped to launch the post-war Civil Rights movement. As U.S. troops came home from battle, many COs replaced them (especially in Europe, less in the Pacific islands or in Japan), working tirelessly to help in post-war recovery, feeding and clothing civilians. CO’s have been treated and ranked bad by many people throughout history, but their impact has been great. The co’s used the way of nonviolence and still showed their patriotic duty towards the nation. The CO’s showed the general public the new expression of democracy. The beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement and the acceptance of Gandhi's nonviolence originated as the CO’s movement originated in the world war two. Conscientious objectors in World War II who served their time in jail helped end segregation in U.S. prisons. These COs also developed the way for the draft resisters during the Vietnam War and for tax resisters of recent years.

The war bond drives were campaigns to motivate Americans to perches U.S. Treasury bonds it would be used to finance World Wars I and II it was also oozing with propaganda. The treasury liberty bond drives were also designed as a domestic propaganda operation in support of the war. It is said that the ones who purchased the bond quota wore “badges and medals as a sign of their patriotism.”The Treasury is said to have kicked off its sales effort by selling the first defense bond to the president. To gain the citizen trust Roosevelt proposed that Americans only loan the U.S. government their money. Mass media like radio, newspapers, and magazines did their part in the promotion of the war bonds. They would publicize the importance of every citizen's support in the war effort, which I think was smart because the outcome of the campaigns were successful. Celebrities like Bing Crosby stated that he “wished he could write something high minded about War bonds but his reasons would be too unpatriotic and that for him War Bonds are a solid investment they run into big money (pg59 Samuel, Pledging Allegiance).” It is a known fact that in December 1945 Americans invested in approximately $150 billion in War bond were used for security reasons, which was issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of warlike in World War 2. War bonds generated capital for the government and made civilians feel active and connected to the national military. This system was also a useful means of controlling inflation in the economy, by removing money from circulation until hopefully after the war was concluded. They were hyped up to buy war bonds. They would often appeal to their patriotism and conscience. Government-issued war bonds tend to have a yield which is below market value for this reason they are made available in a wide range of denominations to make them affordable to all citizens.During World War II many dedicated patriots believed that the average citizen could help win the war by buying war bonds one of those people were Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Using the appeal of popular culture to gain support, Hollywood's movie stars toured the United States they helped to sale bond star like Judy Garland sold bonds on national theme tours, and singer Kate Smith raised over 29 million through a radio broadcast. In September 1942 actress Bette Davis made an appearance in several bond rallies in Oklahoma. Donald duck and Bugs Bunny promoted bonds on newsreel clips. The cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and Popeye appeared on posters this propaganda was useful in capering children like the pied piper. There were eight bond drives, the last bond drive was known as the Victory Loan campaign, it was publicized with reference to support the military. Starting in 1942 Americans could buy bonds on an installment plan through payroll deductions at their work places. An installment plan was also established for children. They could buy a twenty-five cent stamp and paste them in a book until they had saved the $18.75 needed to buy a twenty-five-dollar bond.

Rationing During WWII

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941 the United States entered World War II. Citizens eagerly volunteered at local draft board offices and the people of America soon felt the affects of war on the home front. The economy soon shifted towards a war production economy and in May of 1942 the Office of Price Administration froze prices on almost all everyday goods, starting with sugar and coffee. American families were issued ration books and tokens which told them how much gasoline, tires, sugar, milk, meat, shoes, nylon and many other items they could buy. Woman even came out with a "wartime edition" with revised recipes and other advice on how to deal with the food rationings. The first non food item to be rationed was rubber because the Japanese had seized plantations in the Dutch East Indies that produced 90% of America's raw rubber. President Roosevelt called on all citizens to help by contributing rubber scraps to be recycled, like old tires, old rubber raincoats, garden hoses, rubber shoes, and bathing caps. Voluntary gas rationing proved ineffective and by the spring of 1942 it was made mandatory. To get classification and ration stamps, people had to certify to a local board that they needed gas and owned no more than five tires. By the end of 1942, half of the United States' automobiles were issued an "A" sticker which allowed four gallons of fuel per week. That sticker was issued to car owners whose use of their cars were nonessential. People handed the pump jockey their Mileage Ration Book coupons and cash, and the female attendants who helped run the service stations because the men were at war, could sell customers no more than three or four gallons of fuel per week. For almost a year "A" stickered cars were not allowed to be driven for please at all. A green "B" sticker was for driving that was essential to the war effort. For example; industrial workers could purchase eight gallons of fuel per week. A red "C" sticker was for physicians, ministers, mail carriers and railroad workers. A "T" sticker was for truckers who supplied members of the population with goods and they had an unlimited amount of fuel, and a rare "X" sticker was for members of Congress and other important government workers. By 1944, whiskey had disappeared from liquor stores because distilleries converted to the production of industrial alcohol. New car production was banned in January of 1942 because auto plants switched to the production of military vehicles. Thirty percent of all cigarettes produced were allocated to service men, making cigarettes a scarce commodity on the home front by 1944. By the end of the war, rationing limited consumption of almost every product with the exception of eggs and dairy foods. Most rationing restrictions ended in August of 1945 except for sugar rationing, which lasted until 1947 in parts of the country. For many people who served on the home front, rationing may be the most remembered part of the second World War.

Wartime Research and Devolpment

Currently, the United States has the strongest research and development system in the world. Before World War II the United States was not as strong as the advanced countries of Europe in research and development. During World War II the United States federal government established funds and created several top secret research programs that were an important impact of the war.

Federal support of research and development grew greatly in size and complexity during World War II. Federal money increased tremendously during the war, and two important institutional innovations were introduced. Large numbers of academic researchers were mobilized to work in their own institutions' laboratories on wartime research and development projects. Also, the federal government agreed to compensate university and industries for the indirect or over-head costs of research and development done under grants and contracts, in addition to paying for direct expenses. To carry out the immediate need of research and development during World War II, major investments were made in research laboratories. New government laboratories and top secret research programs were created to develop superior technology.

America grew increasingly anxious about German scientists building an atomic bomb and other massive destroying weapons. Roosevelt agreed the need to fund a number of projects focusing on different parts of atomic and nuclear physics. In June 1942, the United States initiated The Manhattan Project which was directed by Leslie R. Groves, the Chief of Construction of the US Army Corps of Engineers, which was located in New York City. Meanwhile, at the University of Chicago scientists were expanding the knowledge of atomic theory and on December 2, 1942, the first controlled nuclear reaction occurred. Now that it was known that it was possible to harness nuclear energy, scientists realized the need for fuel to power the nuclear reactors with Uranium and Plutonium being the only suitable substances known at the time. The project scientists experimented in two locations to decide which would be best to use.

By October of 1942, it had become increasingly evident that the immediate need of an additional research site was necessary for specific problems in production of a nuclear weapon. The purpose of this new installation was the development, final processing, assembly, and testing of the atomic bomb. The importance of this part of the Manhattan Project was great enough to justify a separate title; it was named Project Y. In early 1943, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the new nuclear weapons design laboratory chose Los Alamos because it was isolated, access to and from the site could be controlled, and the surrounding canyons could be used to test involving high explosives. On July 16, 1945 a successful implosion bomb was tested. Los Alamos science and technology created the most destructive weapon in war history.

During the war, the Radiation Laboratory was responsible for rapid development of microwave radar. Physical electronics, microwave physics, electromagnetic properties of matter and microwave communication principles were the main projects at the laboratory. The Radiation Laboratory created 100 different radar systems during World War II and constructed $1.5 billion worth of radar.

Technology during World War II played an important role in determining the outcome of the greatest war of all. The massive research and development demands of the war had a great impact on the scientific community.

Taxes provided about $136.8 billion of the World War 2 total cost of $304 billion. With a need to cover the other $167.2 billion the United States Treasury expanded it bond program. Bond Drives were campaigns by the government to encourage United States citizens to buy U.S. Treasury Bonds to help finance the War. Bonds were seen as a way to reduce inflation and remove money from circulation. Bonds were called “Liberty Bonds,” in World War 1, and then called Defense Bonds, after the surprise military strike by the Japanese Navy against the United States naval base Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), the name was then switched to War Bonds. The War Bonds was only an emotional appeal to patriotic citizens to lend their money to the government because the War Bonds offered a rate of low return below the market value. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Henry Morgenthau Jr., to Secretary of Treasure of the United States in 1934. Henry Morgenthau, Jr., believed that the average citizen would help win the war by buying War Bonds. Henry Morgenthau Jr., then set up an elaborate system to help finance the war through the marketing of an unprecedented bond buying campaign, one of the largest bond buying campaigns ever seen. They used the mass media (newspapers, radio, magazines, .etc) to encourage and heavily publicized the importance of every citizen to support the United Stated during the War. Bond Drives were also marketed through popular culture, with icons and actors such as Kate Smith, Bette Davis, Greer Garson and even posters of cartoon characters, Mickey Mouse and Popeye. Movie Star Kate Smith toured the country and raised $ 39 million dollars through a radio broadcast. The U.S. Government organized a series of 8 War Bond drives, starting from November 30, 1942 to the Last Victory Loan drive on December 8, 1945. Starting in 1942 Americans could buy bonds in installment plans from payroll deductions at their place of employment. Children could also buy bonds on installment plans by buying stamps and placing them in a book until they saved the $18.75 required to purchase a $25 War Bond. Bonds sold at 75% of their face value. The War Bonds didn’t yield much financial prosperity for the individual who purchased them, only a 2.9% income after a 10 year maturity. The War Bonds were used to help gain capital to finance the War as well as give the citizens a tangible feeling of Patriotism, support and involvement in the War. By the end of the World War 2 (January 3, 1942) more than 85 million Americans purchased War Bonds more than half the population and purchased War Bonds totaling over $185.7 billion.

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