The Effect of WW2 Flashcards

1
Q

How much did Federal expenditure increase by 1940-44?

A

1940 - $5.3bn Budget ($1.9bn defense)

1944 - $97.2bn Budget ($90bn defense)

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2
Q

Which % of the war was paid for by tax?

A

41% (as opposed to 33% of WW1)

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3
Q

What was the highest rate of income tax?

A

94%

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4
Q

How many more Americans paid income tax by 1945?

A

10 times more - taxation revolution

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5
Q

When were the Neutrality Acts 1935 and 1937 revoked?

A

1939, allowing nations to buy arms but NOT loans

The orders subsequently placed by GB and France revived the US economy

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6
Q

When did the US begin to rearm?

A

1941

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7
Q

What did Roosevelt spend on the US Navy in 1940?

A

$4 billion

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8
Q

What did Roosevelt increase the army to in 1941?

A

1 million men and 7800 aircraft

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9
Q

How many more tons of steel did the USA produce than Germany?

A

6million tons

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10
Q

What was the unemployment level in 1941 vs 1943?

A

1941 - 14%

1943 - 2%

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11
Q

What was the GNP in 1941 vs 1945?

A

1941 - $91 billion

1945 - $214 billion

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12
Q

What is an example of government technological investment?

A

51 new synthetic rubber plants were built

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13
Q

How many people moved to California and why?

A

2 million - it was a centre of military production

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14
Q

How many orders for aircraft were placed from abroad by 1940?

A

10,000 aircraft orders

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15
Q

How much did infant mortality fall by in the war years?

A

1/3

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16
Q

How much did farm income increase in the war years?

A

4 times

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17
Q

How much did average life expectancy increase?

A

3 years (despite war deaths)

18
Q

Which % of women were now employed?

A

50%

19
Q

How did the gender ratio of car industry workers change?

A

In 1940, 5% workers were female

In 1945, 50% workers were female

20
Q

Which organisation encouraged equal pay for women?

A

the War Labour Board

United Electrical Worker’s Union won equal pay case in 1945 - ignored due to end of WW2

21
Q

What happened to the incomes of the upper class?

A

The richest 5% experienced an income drop of 10%

22
Q

What happened to the incomes of the lower classes?

A

The poorest 20%’s incomes rose 68% (although this only represented 1% of the US’ wealth, for a total of 5%)

23
Q

Which % of working days were lost to strikes in WW2?

A

Only 1% - the only major strike was a coal strike in 1943

24
Q

What did unions become?

A

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

25
Q

How was there military discrimination?

A

Few black officers
Segregated regiments
Sometimes treated worse than POWs

26
Q

How much did the average income of Black people increase?

A

In 1939 Black people earned 40% of White people’s wages, in 1945 this was 60%

27
Q

How many Blacks left the South?

A

1 million - for better paid jobs in the North

28
Q

Which act outlawed racial discrimination in the military?

A

Executive Order 8802 in 1941

prompted by Randolph’s march on Washington

29
Q

Why did 2,500 workers go on strike in 1943?

A

At Packard’s Detroit plant - due to the employment of 2 black workers

30
Q

How much did the % of Black voters increase?

A

1940 - 2% Blacks could vote

194 - 12% could

31
Q

What did the War Powers Act do?

A

Increase Roosevelt’s authority

32
Q

What did the Office of Price Administration do?

A

Introduce price/rent controls, manage economy and ration products

33
Q

Why was the Pentagon constructed?

A

To co-ordinate Gvt, military and economy activity

34
Q

What did the Office (War) Production Board do?

A

Allocated materials, limited production of consumer goods, issued contracts

35
Q

How many people paid taxes by 1945?

A

40 million

36
Q

How many ships had been built by 1944?

A

2250 ships

37
Q

What did Ford produce?

A

More military equipment than Italy - 10 bombers per day in 1944

38
Q

How many aircraft had been produced by 1944?

A

96,3000 aircraft

39
Q

How many trucks and Jeeps did the Red Army recieve from USA?

A

351,000 trucks

779,000 Jeeps

40
Q

How many miles of telephone cable did the USSR receive from the USA?

A

956,000 miles of telephone cable

41
Q

How much did corporate profits increase by?

A

70%

42
Q

How much did real wages increase by?

A

50%