Lesson 10: The Home Front

Question 1

“Double V” Campaign Definition

Answer 1

African American civil rights campaign during World War II

Question 2

Bracero Program Definition

Answer 2

the recruitment of Mexican laborers to work in the United States during World War II

Question 3

Compensation Definitionn

Answer 3

the repayment for losses

Question 4

Internment Definition

Answer 4

the temporary imprisonment of members of a specific group

Question 5

Rationing Definition

Answer 5

limiting the amount of certain goods that people can buy

Question 6

Rosie the Riveter Definition

Answer 6

a fictional factory worker who became a symbol of American women’s contribution to the war effort during World War II

Question 7

Tuskegee Airman Definition

Answer 7

African American fighter pilots who trained in Tuskegee, Alabama, during World War II

Question 8

Victory Garden Definition

Answer 8

during World War II, a vegetable garden planted to combat food shortages in the United States

Question 9

War Production Board Definition

Answer 9

a government agency created during World War II to help factories shift from making consumer goods to making war materials

Question 10

During World War II, how many Americans served in the military? How many spent the war years at home? What did winning the war depend on?

Answer 10

During World War II, more than 15 million Americans served in the military. Many millions more spent the war years at home, far from the battlefields. Winning the war depended on mobilizing the home front to support and supply the armed forces.

Question 11

In 1941, what was the American military’s first task? How did they prepare with air bases? Where were recruits trained to fight?

Answer 11

In 1941, the military’s first task was to train forces for combat. Army, navy, and air bases were built all over the country. Recruits were trained to fight in the jungles of the Pacific, the deserts of North Africa, and the towns and farmlands of Europe.

Question 12

How did women help prepare for war in the military?

Answer 12

Women joined all the armed services. Women pilots logged 60 million air miles ferrying bombers from base to base, towing targets, and teaching men to fly. Although women were not allowed in combat, many served close to the front lines.

Question 13

How did the American government control the economy during World War II?

Answer 13

Even more than in World War I, the government controlled the economy during World War II. Government agencies set the prices of goods, negotiated with labor unions, and decided what should be produced.

Question 14

What was the job of The War Production Board, created by the government during WWII? What did it do? In 1942, how many planes did Americans produce and how many tons of goods did they ship?

Answer 14

The War Production Board helped factories shift from making consumer goods to making guns, ships, aircraft, and other war materials. Automobile makers, for example, switched to producing tanks and trucks. In 1942 alone, American workers produced more than 48,000 planes and shipped more than 8 million tons of goods.

Question 15

What did the government do to control shortages? What is rationing? How did rationing work in the United States?

Answer 15

To control shortages and ensure that enough raw materials would be available for war production, the government imposed rationing, or limits on certain goods that people could buy. The government gave Americans ration coupons to purchase coffee, sugar, meat, gasoline, and other goods. When people ran out of coupons, they could not buy the items until new coupons were issued.

Question 16

As consumer goods became scarce, what did Americans create? What were victory gardens? What percentage of the food in America, during WWII, was from an American victory garden?

Answer 16

Consumer goods became scarce. To combat food shortages, many Americans planted victory gardens. At the height of the war, more than 20 million victory gardens produced 40 percent of all vegetables grown in the country.

Question 17

What did the government do to pay for the war? How did they utilize higher taxes and war bonds? With war bonds, when did an American buyer expect repayment?

Answer 17

To pay for the war, the government raised taxes. Also, as was the case in World War I, the U.S. government borrowed money from millions of American citizens by selling war bonds. Americans could buy a bond for a certain price with the expectation that they could redeem the bond from the government after ten years for a profit. In the meantime, the government would then use the money from bond sales to pay for the war. Movie stars took part in drives to sell bonds and boost patriotic spirit.

Question 18

How did World War II end the Great Depression?

Answer 18

The war quickly ended the Great Depression. Unemployment fell as millions of jobs opened up in factories. Minority workers found jobs where they had been rejected in the past.

Question 19

During World War II, how many women joined the workforce? What jobs did they take? What did Rosie the Riveter come to symbolize?

Answer 19

Women responded to the urgent demand for their labor. Almost five million women entered the work force. They replaced the men who joined the armed services. Many women worked in offices. Millions more kept the nation’s factories operating around the clock. Some welded, ran huge cranes, and tended blast furnaces. Others became bus drivers, police officers, and gas station attendants. The image of Rosie the Riveter, a fictional factory worker, became a symbol of American women’s contribution to the war effort.

Question 20

How did the abundance of women workers during WWII allow them to gain better working conditions? How did some employers get around this?

Answer 20

Because women were badly needed in industry, they were able to win better pay and working conditions. The government agreed that women and men should get the same pay for the same job. Many employers, however, found ways to avoid equal pay.

Question 21

How did World War II change women fashion? How did it impact their confidence?

Answer 21

The war also changed fashions for women. Instead of wearing skirts on the job, many women dressed in trousers. They wore overalls and tied scarves around their hair. More importantly, war work gave many women a new sense of confidence.

Question 22

How did African Americans respond to the beginning of World War II in America? What was their “Double V” Campaign?

Answer 22

When the war began, African Americans rallied to their nation’s cause, as they had during World War I. This time, however, African Americans decided to pursue a “Double V” campaign—victory over the enemy abroad and victory over discrimination at home.

Question 23

As industry geared up for war, what signs angered African Americans?

Answer 23

As industry geared up for war, factories replaced “No Help Wanted” signs with “Help Wanted, White” signs. Such discrimination angered African Americans.

Question 24

In 1941, what did A. Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, call for?

Answer 24

In 1941, A. Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, called for a protest march on Washington. The government, he said, “will never give the Negro justice until they see masses—ten, twenty, fifty thousand Negroes on the White House lawn.”

Question 25

What did government officials worry A. Philip Randolph’s proposed march (1941) would feed? After meeting with Randolph, what did FDR declare? As a result, how did the number of skilled black workers increase during World War II?

Answer 25

Government officials worried that such a march would feed Hitler’s propaganda machine. After meeting with Randolph, FDR ordered employers that did business with the government to end discrimination in hiring. As a result, the employment of skilled black workers doubled during the war.

Question 26

How did racial tension increase with black employment?

Answer 26

However, as black employment increased, so did racial tension. Thousands of Americans—black and white—moved to cities to work in industry. Competition for scarce housing led to angry incidents. In 1943, race riots broke out in Detroit, New York, and other cities.

Question 27

Although he ended discrimination in hiring, did FDR end the segregation of the races in the military?

Answer 27

While FDR acted against discrimination in hiring, he refused to end segregation of the races in the military. Nearly a million African Americans enlisted or were drafted. They had to serve in all-black units commanded by white officers.

Question 28

How did African Americans serve in the military? Who was Dorie Miller, one of the earliest heroes of World War II? What did he do in Pearl Harbor? What award was he given?

Answer 28

African Americans served heroically in all branches of the armed forces. One of the earliest heroes of the war was Dorie Miller, an African American sailor serving on the battleship West Virginia. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Miller dragged his wounded captain to safety. Then, though he had no training as a gunner, Miller manned a machine gun to defend his ship against enemy planes. For heroism in action, Miller was awarded the Navy Cross.

Question 29

How did African Americans contribute to the army?

Answer 29

In the army, African American soldiers formed artillery and tank units. African Americans in the navy served as gunners’ mates and helped build bases in the Pacific. African American marines helped defend American posts against Japanese attacks.

Question 30

Who were the Tuskegee Airmen? By the end of the war, how many enemy aircrafts did they destroy or damage?

Answer 30

The Tuskegee Airmen were African American fighter pilots who trained at Tuskegee, Alabama. By the end of the war, the Tuskegee airmen had destroyed or damaged about 400 enemy aircraft.

Question 31

How did World War II influence the African American movement for civil rights?

Answer 31

The contributions of African Americans to the war effort increased their determination to win justice at home. After the war, black veterans would be at the forefront of a renewed campaign for civil rights.

Question 32

How did World War II affect Japanese Americans? Where did most live in America? For those on the west coast, what jobs did Japanese Americans take up? Why did they face prejudice?

Answer 32

The war brought suffering to many Japanese Americans. Most lived on the West Coast or in Hawaii. Many of those on the West Coast were successful farmers and business people. For years, they had faced prejudice, in part because of their success.

Question 33

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, why were many Americans questioning Japanese American loyalty, despite lacking evidence? What order did FDR sign? When the movement of Japanese Americans to relocation camps was later challenged in Korematsu v. United States, what did the Supreme Court rule?

Answer 33

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, many Americans questioned the loyalty of Japanese Americans. Some thought they might act as spies and help Japan invade the United States. No evidence of disloyalty existed. Yet, President Roosevelt signed an order allowing the army to move Japanese Americans from their homes to “relocation camps.” Many were American citizens by birth. Later, a court case challenged the order, but the Supreme Court decided in Korematsu v. United States that such an order was constitutional in times of war.

Question 34

What were Japanese Americans forced to do as a result of being forced to move to relocation camps? What were the conditions in the camps?

Answer 34

About 110,000 Japanese Americans were forced to sell their homes, farms, or businesses at great loss. “We didn’t know where we were going,” recalled Peter Ota, who was 15 at the time. “We didn’t know what to take. A toothbrush, toilet supplies, some clothes. Only what you could carry.” In the camps, Japanese Americans lived in crowded barracks behind barbed wire.

Question 35

Despite unfair treatment, how did Japanese Americans contribute to the military? What did the 442nd Nisei Regimental Combat Team become?

Answer 35

Despite unfair treatment, thousands of Japanese American men served in the armed forces. Most were put in segregated units and sent to fight in Europe. There, they won many honors for bravery. The 442nd Nisei Regimental Combat Team became the most highly decorated military unit in United States history.

Question 36

Remember: Years later, in 1988, Congress apologized to Japanese Americans who had suffered from internment, or temporary imprisonment, during World War II. Congress also approved compensation, or repayment for losses, in the amount of $20,000 to every survivor of the camps.

Answer 36

Years later, in 1988, Congress apologized to Japanese Americans who had suffered from internment, or temporary imprisonment, during World War II. Congress also approved compensation, or repayment for losses, in the amount of $20,000 to every survivor of the camps.

Question 37

How did German Americans and Italian Americans also face discrimination during World War II?

Answer 37

Japanese Americans were not the only group to face wartime restrictions. About 11,000 German Americans and several hundred Italian Americans were also held in government camps as “enemy aliens.” Other German Americans and Italian Americans faced curfews or travel restrictions.

Question 38

Due to the need of worker, what agreement did America make with Mexico in 1942? What was the Bracero Program? How did this impact Mexican Americans?

Answer 38

A growing Mexican American population also faced problems. Because of the need for workers, the United States signed a treaty with Mexico in 1942. It allowed the recruitment of Mexican laborers to work in the United States. Under this Bracero Program, many Mexicans moved north to work on farms and railroads.

Question 39

In June 1943, what did a group of American sailors do to a group of young Mexican Americans? Who did many newspapers blame the violence on? What did Eleanor Roosevelt blame?

Answer 39

In June 1943, a group of sailors on leave attacked some young Mexican Americans, beating them on the streets. The incident led to several days of rioting in Los Angeles. Newspapers blamed the violence on the Mexican Americans. But in her newspaper column, Eleanor Roosevelt argued that the riots were the result of “longstanding discrimination against the Mexicans in the Southwest.”

Question 40

True or False: Still, like other groups, Mexican Americans served bravely in the military during World War II. Despite lingering problems at home, Americans were united in their resolve to push on to victory in Europe and the Pacific.

Answer 40

True

Question 41

What led up to Korematsu v. United States (1944)?

Answer 41

In 1942, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. The order designated certain areas as war zones from which anyone could be excluded. The military singled out Japanese Americans living on the West Coast for relocation to internment camps, where they were imprisoned for the duration of the war. Although the United States was also at war with Germany and Italy, German-Americans and Italian-Americans were not subject to the same systematic exclusion and detention. Fred Korematsu (KOR-eh-MAHT-soo), a native-born American citizen, defied the military order. He was arrested, charged with failure to report for relocation, and convicted in federal district court. After losing in the Court of Appeals, he appealed to the United States Supreme Court. The question in the case was: Can the government limit a group’s liberties during wartime?

Question 42

What was the ruling of Korematsu v. United States (1944)?

Answer 42

The Court upheld the lower court’s decision and rejected Korematsu’s appeal. It noted that national emergencies, such as war, might sometimes justify limiting the civil rights of a single racial group. The Court noted, however, that it is not justifiable to restrict civil rights because of racial antagonism.