Impact of WW2

Question 1

True or false, WW2 helped America recover from the Great Depression

Answer 1

True

Question 2

What year did America go into WW2

Answer 2

1941 (this was when the Great Depression ended as it made so many jobs)

Question 3

By what year did the USA produce 50% of the world’s weapons

Answer 3

1944

Question 4

What year was the US economy the most powerful in the world

Answer 4

1945

Question 5

What major thing solves unemployment during WW2

Answer 5

Conscription
16 million men and women served in US armed forces
Ended unemployment

Question 6

True or false, women benefitted from WW2

Answer 6

True
1/3 aircraft workers were women
Women served in US armed forces alongside men through conscription

Question 7

True or false, Women and African Americans also benefitted from WW2

Answer 7

True
At first African Americans were given the more dangerous jobs but the country needed them to help with the war effort so they got jobs

Question 8

What did millions of US citizens purchase during the war that helped fund the war effort

Answer 8

War bonds

Question 9

Who is US president during WW2

Answer 9

Roosevelt
However he dies in 1945 and is replaced by Truman

Question 10

What did loads of Americans spend money on after the war because they could afford it

Answer 10

Consumer goods
TVs, fridges, cars etc
These luxuries became necessities

Question 11

Examples of affluence and consumerism post WW2 (1945)

Answer 11

Americans spend money on consumer goods like cars, TVs and fridges
Consumer goods (luxuries) become necessities
Factory workers average wage rises
1960- shopping= popular recreational activity
1960- living standard 3x UK
Suburbanisation occurs in 1950s

Question 12

Why did suburbanisation occur after WW2

Answer 12

Land cheaper on edge of cities
People had cars so could commute to work
Parents wanted to raise children away from ‘dangers of life’
Baby boom meant greater demand for homes

Question 13

Name describing typical life of those living in suburbs after WW2

Answer 13

American Dream
Had luxury items like swimming pools that became a symbol of status

Question 14

True or false middle class families moved to suburbs after WW2 to live the ‘American Dream’

Answer 14

True
Suburbanisation occurred in 1950s

Question 15

True or false, America is very rich after WW2

Answer 15

True- this leads to affluence, consumerism and suburbanisation

Question 16

Why is America so rich after WW2

Answer 16

Lots of money made from coal, iron, oil and steel factories as well as producing 50% of the world’s weapons

Question 17

True or false, all Americans benefitted after WW2

Answer 17

False
African Americans were particularly poor despite many families living in luxury homes with swimming pools at the same time

Question 18

Example of how African Americans were discriminated against after WW2 (and therefore didn’t share the great time of wealth)

Answer 18

Many building developers refused to sell homes to African Americans

Question 19

In 1959 what % of people were in poverty

Answer 19

29%

Question 20

True or false, all Americans benefitted equally from affluence and wealth after WW2

Answer 20

False
African Americans discriminated against
1959= 29% living in poverty

Question 21

Why was suburbanisation negative for women

Answer 21

Many felt isolated and bored
Reversed role of women back to traditional housewife (war had allowed them to work)

Question 22

Example of segregation for black soldiers during WW2

Answer 22

Black Americans served in segregated units
Black soldiers given most dangerous jobs in Navy
Black nurses could only treat black soldiers

However they were still given jobs because as many people as possible were needed to help US with war

Question 23

Examples of segregation improving for black Americans as war progressed

Answer 23

By 1955 US army was most integrated (it was least integrated at beginning of war)

Question 24

What were war bonds and how did they contribute to America becoming the leading economy in the world by 1945

Answer 24

Something that millions of Americans invested in to help finance the war effort and would be paid back once the war was over

Question 25

3 key reasons why unemployment fell during WW2

Answer 25

Conscription- 16 million in armed forces
Wartime production- by 1944 America produce 50% weapons in world which means more people have jobs in factories
War bonds- Americans invested in these to financially fuel the war effort and in turn could create more jobs

Question 26

How many men and women served in war through conscription

Answer 26

16 million

Question 27

What proportion of aircraft workers were women in WW2

Answer 27

1/3

Question 28

How do war bonds work

Answer 28

Millions of Americans purchase them during the war and is a way to financially support America’s effort in the war
After the war, people then cash in the war bonds having received interest in them so can use extra money and disposable income to purchase consumer goods like cars, further contributing to the economy and generating more jobs

Question 29

Name for Truman’s policies which led to flourishing and booming economy in the 1950s

Answer 29

Fair deal

Question 30

Which industries benefited from USA producing 50% of world’s weapons in 1944 and then afterwards during Cold War

Answer 30

Steel and coal

Question 31

What was the war production board

Answer 31

Set up by Roosevelt where he used leading businessmen and industrialists to help provide for the needs of the war including giving contracts to large companies e.g General Motors which produced machine guns and other war products

Question 32

Who set up the war production Board

Answer 32

Roosevelt
Gave contracts to large companies like General Motors who produced war products e.g machine guns
Used leading industrialists and businessmen