Women and African Americans in WWII

• Women


  . Before war broke out women worked in traditional roles such as nursing or teaching.

  . Women began to work in factories, railways and shipyards.

  . Between 1940 and 45, the number of women in work rose from 12 million to nearly 19 million.

  . Women occupied a third of all America’s jobs and the transformation of industry was unprecedented.

  . In 1939, just 36 women worked in shipbuilding. In 1942, that number had grown to 200,000. Also around 350,000 women joined the women’s sections of the armed forces.
• African-Americans


  . Early in the war a march was organised to protest the treatment of African – American workers.

  . The Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) was set up – this soon found widespread discrimination.

  . One aircraft maker only employed ten African -Americans out of a workplace of 30,000.

  . Around 1 million African – Americans fought in the war. Black sailors were only allowed to work in th kitchen and the air force wouldn’t train black pilots.

  . As the war went on racial barriers broke down. African – Americans trained as pilots and the armed forces trained black officers.
• What was created in January 1942 to convert industries from peacetime work to war work?

  The War Production Board (WPB)
• What was the primary role of the War Production Board (WPB)?


  To ensure factories received materials needed to produce war goods quickly
• Which industries began to convert to war production shortly after the WPB was established?

  Car companies began to build tanks and fighter planes
• How many planes did US factories produce in 1943?

  86,000 planes
• How many planes did US factories produce in 1944?

  96,000 planes
• What was the unemployment rate in 1939?

  Around 17% of the potential workforce
• What happened to the unemployment figure as America began to re-arm?

  The unemployment figure started to drop
• By 1941, how many people had found jobs building military equipment?

  Around 4 million
• What happened to unemployment when war broke out?


  Unemployed men joined the armed forces
• What was the unemployment figure by 1944?

  670,000
• What were the additional economic benefits during the war period?

  • Farmers prospered by supplying food to the military
  • Traditional industries like coal, iron, steel, and oil were boosted by war demand