America 2.3 The Impact of the Second World War

Question 1

What was the Cash and Carry Plan, Lend Lease, and how did organisations (Mother’s Crusade, America First Committee) react to war? (AM 2.3)

Answer 1

• America sold Britain and France weapons, creating jobs.
• America lent weapons to Britain, and later the USSR.
• Mother’s crusade and America First Committee held protests.

Question 2

What led to Pearl Harbour? How many warships were sunk/damaged, planes destroyed and men killed? (AM 2.3)

Answer 2

• Japan aggressively invaded countries, so Roosevelt didn’t sell them oil and steel.
• 21 warships sunk/damaged, 177 planes destroyed and over 2000 men killed.

Question 3

How did the War Production Board aid war production? How many planes were produced in 1943 and 1944? (AM 2.3)

Answer 3

• WPB converted peacetime work to war work and provided materials.
• 86,000 in 1943 and 96,000 in 1944.

Question 4

How many people found jobs making vehicles and in the forces? How much did unemployment drop by between 1939 and 1944? How did farming and industry prosper? (AM 2.3)

Answer 4

• 4 million found jobs.
• Dropped from 9.5m to 670,000.
• Farms produced food for soldiers, industrial demand boosted by war.

Question 5

How did the war affect the role of women? How much did the amount of women in work rise from 1940 and 1945? (AM 2.3)

Answer 5

• They filled job vacancies left by men.
• 350,000 joined women’s sections of the forces.
• Rose from 12 to 19 million.

Question 6

How did the Fair Employment Practice Committee aid African-Americans? How were the 1 million of them serving in the war discriminated against? (AM 2.3)

Answer 6

• FEPC recommended discriminatory companies didn’t get government contracts. Some changed policy.
• Sailors only allowed in ship kitchens, soldiers couldn’t train as officers.

Question 7

How did war conditions improve for African-Americans? (AM 2.3)

Answer 7

-Allowed to train as pilots, as officers and women as nurses, but all in segregated units.