The Effect of WW2 Flashcards
How much did Federal expenditure increase by 1940-44?
1940 - $5.3bn Budget ($1.9bn defense)
1944 - $97.2bn Budget ($90bn defense)
Which % of the war was paid for by tax?
41% (as opposed to 33% of WW1)
What was the highest rate of income tax?
94%
How many more Americans paid income tax by 1945?
10 times more - taxation revolution
When were the Neutrality Acts 1935 and 1937 revoked?
1939, allowing nations to buy arms but NOT loans
The orders subsequently placed by GB and France revived the US economy
When did the US begin to rearm?
1941
What did Roosevelt spend on the US Navy in 1940?
$4 billion
What did Roosevelt increase the army to in 1941?
1 million men and 7800 aircraft
How many more tons of steel did the USA produce than Germany?
6million tons
What was the unemployment level in 1941 vs 1943?
1941 - 14%
1943 - 2%
What was the GNP in 1941 vs 1945?
1941 - $91 billion
1945 - $214 billion
What is an example of government technological investment?
51 new synthetic rubber plants were built
How many people moved to California and why?
2 million - it was a centre of military production
How many orders for aircraft were placed from abroad by 1940?
10,000 aircraft orders
How much did infant mortality fall by in the war years?
1/3
How much did farm income increase in the war years?
4 times
How much did average life expectancy increase?
3 years (despite war deaths)
Which % of women were now employed?
50%
How did the gender ratio of car industry workers change?
In 1940, 5% workers were female
In 1945, 50% workers were female
Which organisation encouraged equal pay for women?
the War Labour Board
United Electrical Worker’s Union won equal pay case in 1945 - ignored due to end of WW2
What happened to the incomes of the upper class?
The richest 5% experienced an income drop of 10%
What happened to the incomes of the lower classes?
The poorest 20%’s incomes rose 68% (although this only represented 1% of the US’ wealth, for a total of 5%)
Which % of working days were lost to strikes in WW2?
Only 1% - the only major strike was a coal strike in 1943
What did unions become?
More moderate with their wage demands. The government supported unions, and even Ford accepted them. As a result employers began paid holidays, pension schemes and health insurance
How was there military discrimination?
Few black officers
Segregated regiments
Sometimes treated worse than POWs
How much did the average income of Black people increase?
In 1939 Black people earned 40% of White people’s wages, in 1945 this was 60%
How many Blacks left the South?
1 million - for better paid jobs in the North
Which act outlawed racial discrimination in the military?
Executive Order 8802 in 1941
prompted by Randolph’s march on Washington
Why did 2,500 workers go on strike in 1943?
At Packard’s Detroit plant - due to the employment of 2 black workers
How much did the % of Black voters increase?
1940 - 2% Blacks could vote
194 - 12% could
What did the War Powers Act do?
Increase Roosevelt’s authority
What did the Office of Price Administration do?
Introduce price/rent controls, manage economy and ration products
Why was the Pentagon constructed?
To co-ordinate Gvt, military and economy activity
What did the Office (War) Production Board do?
Allocated materials, limited production of consumer goods, issued contracts
How many people paid taxes by 1945?
40 million
How many ships had been built by 1944?
2250 ships
What did Ford produce?
More military equipment than Italy - 10 bombers per day in 1944
How many aircraft had been produced by 1944?
96,3000 aircraft
How many trucks and Jeeps did the Red Army recieve from USA?
351,000 trucks
779,000 Jeeps
How many miles of telephone cable did the USSR receive from the USA?
956,000 miles of telephone cable
How much did corporate profits increase by?
70%
How much did real wages increase by?
50%
