The impact of the Second World War on the USA

Question 1

Economic recovery

• War production

Answer 1

Between 1941 and 1945, the USA produced 86,000 tanks, 296,000 aircraft and 15 million rifles.

Question 2

Economic recovery

• In comparison with the New Deal

Answer 2

WW2 played a much greater role in economic recovery because nearly 9 million people were still out of work in 1941.

Question 3

Economic recovery

• Agriculture

Answer 3

Farm income grew by 250%

Question 4

Employment

Answer 4

1) Unemployment effectively ceased by 1942
2) Most Americans were comparatively well paid during the war and did not suffer the deprivations of those in other belligerent countries.
3) Average wages increased by 40%, giving them the power to consume, which fuelled the post-war boom.

Question 5

Treatment of Japanese Americans

Answer 5

Increasing fear of a Japanese attack on the West Coast led to calls for internment by respected journalists.

Question 6

Treatment of Japanese Americans

• Towards the end of 1941

Answer 6

US-Japanese relations worsened, 2,000 Japanese-labelled subversives had been rounded up

Question 7

Treatment of Japanese Americans

• 1944 Superem Court

Answer 7

In 1944, the Supreme Court forbade the internment of loyal Japanese Americans

Question 8

Women at the beginning of the Second World War

Answer 8

There were about 13 million female workers and at the height of the war in 1944, increased to 19 million.

Question 9

Traditional jobs done by women

Answer 9

One in three aircraft workers and half of those working in electronics and munitions were women,

Question 10

Public opinion on women and work

Answer 10

In 1942, 60% of Americans were in favour of women helping with the war industries.

Question 11

Racial discrimination with women

Answer 11

Racial discrimination continued with African American women were always the last to be the last to be hired

Question 12

Problems with women in 1945

Answer 12

They were excluded from the top, well-paid jobs

Women could be dismissed from her job when she married.

Question 13

Employment among African Americans when the war broke out?

Answer 13

In 1940, there were 12.9million African Americans, in which almost 5.4 million employed, and 3.5 million were male.

Question 14

What sort of jobs were African Americans doing when the war broke out?

Answer 14

The vast majority of those employed had menial jobs, which were low paid.

Question 15

Unemployment among whites when the war broke out in Europe

Answer 15

Unemployment among whites was 14% and as war-related industries began to seek workers, whites were taken on immdiately

Question 16

Did the WW2 have an impact on AA’s employment

Answer 16

Unemployed AA did not benefit from the initial boom of war-related industries employment. They earned half that of their white counterparts.

Question 17

What was the aim of the March on Washington Movement?

Answer 17

To shame the government into action and bring an end to the inequality, as there were discrimination in the war industries and the US armed forces

Question 18

What did Roosevelt do to stop the March on Washington Movement

Answer 18

Roosevelt issued Executive Order and set up the Fair Employment Practices Commission to prevent discrimination at work

Question 19

Randolph and ciil disobedience 1941

Answer 19

He encouraged acts of civil disobedience to show opposition to laws that permitted unfair and unequal treatment.

Question 20

What did Fair Employment Practices Commission 1941 do?

Answer 20

It investigated complaints and took action against alleged employment discrimination.

Question 21

Employment and African Americans after the WW2

Answer 21

As jobs in the defence industries increased, many African Americans migrated from the South in search of employment.

Question 22

What did Roosevelt do in 1943 on the FEPC

Answer 22

He issued Executive Order, which gave the Commission greater powers, and increased its budget to nearly half a million dollars.

Question 23

Success of FEPC by 1943

Answer 23

The FEPC investigated about 8,000 instances of discrimination and was successful with 66% of its cases in the North-east, 62% in the Mid-west.

Question 24

What were the treatments in the Jim Crow Army

Answer 24

African-Americans soldiers were given inferior training, had few recreational facilities, and endured racial slurs and physical mistreatment.

Question 25

What role did African Americans normally do in WW2

Answer 25

African Americans performed the menial non-combat tasks such as cooking, guarding prisoners, delivering supplies and building camps and roads.

Question 26

Difficulties faced by AA armed force

Answer 26

They found promotion difficult and the highest rank most reached was only first lieutenant.

Question 27

Why were most AA soldiers served overseas during WW2?

Answer 27

By 1943, only 79,000 out of a total of 504,000 AA soldiers were overseas because white army commanders did not want them

Question 28

Progress for AA made by Roosevelt during WW2

• What did he do

Answer 28

In 1940, Roosevelt ordered the air corps to recruit an all-African-American flying unit

Question 29

Success for AA in airforce during WW2

Answer 29

By the end of 1945, more than 600 pilots had been trained despite not being allowed to fly in the same groups as whites.

Question 30

AA in the Navy during WW2

Answer 30

Discrimination was worst in the Navy with AA sailors given the most dangerous job of loading ammunition on ships bound fro war zones.