3C Social and cultural changes Flashcards
What was the WPA given funding for?
in order to encourage photographers and musicians to capture everyday American life during the Depression.
What was the impact of the WPA on artists and the government?
Impact: artists, musicians, writers and photographers all had paid employment
Impact: the government had a record of everyday life and the struggles faced by ordinary Americans
How did the WPA help Photographers?
Over 80,000 images were compiled by photographers such as Walker Evans, Ben Fields, Arthur Rothstein and Dorothea Lange (Migrant Mother).
What was the Federal Writers Project?
6,600 writers and authors
2,300 first person slave narratives with 500 photos published as Unchained Memories
What was the Federal Music Project:
The music programme was particularly successful in schools and improving performance among adults
Funding was cut and, although not officially terminated, the project ended in 1943 with the WPA.
How did radio play an important role in the war?
Radio played an important role in entertaining and keeping people up to date with the war. Roosevelt encouraged people to follow events through news broadcasts using a map.
How was Radio used during the war?
Many radio stations had war correspondents: reporters such as Edward R Murrow were influential in garnering support for Britain via his accounts of the Blitz on London.
Propaganda programmes such as Lest We Forget 1943-48 and You Can’t Do Business with Hitler 1942 both informed listeners of the necessity of WW2 and American involvement.
What was popular music during the war?
Give an example
Golden age of swing, big bands, jazz, crooners and sentimental songs.
Song writers were quick to pen songs that connected with war events such as ‘Remember Pearl Harbour’ and ‘Hats Off to McArthur’ written during the battle for the Philippines.
What did songs often reflect about during the war?
Songs often reflected emotions of troops and loved ones left behind such as the Andrews Sisters ‘Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me’
between 1941-1947 how many performances were given by artists overseas?
estimated 293,738 performances were given by artists that were part of United Service Overseas
Give a popular artistic who became a superstar during the war?
Frank Sinatra began his career just before war, but during the war era he went on to become a superstar, becoming the first teenage idol to the ‘bobbysoxers’ (teenage girls).
How did Hollywood respond to the war?
When war was declared Hollywood responded enthusiastically producing films that promoted patriotism, and films that offered escapism.
How did Hollywood help Escapism?
glamorous musicals (starring Betty Gable) and sentimental films
How did Hollywood boost Morale?
films that showed homefront in positive light (e.g. Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942), or where Nazis played role of the villain (e.g. Casablanca, 1942)
How did Hollywood help troops?
Hollywood stars also entertained the troops often in war zones. The Hollywood canteen was set up in 1942 by Bette Davis and provided free meals to servicemen along with a chance to dance with a famous film star.
