(The war & the economy, 1941-1945) The impact of the war on the USA Flashcards
Economic - what was the Office of War Mobilisation?
Controlled production, food prices, rents and rationing.
Economic - what happened to prices and wages?
Prices rose by 28%
Wages increased by 40%
Economic - what did many people start doing with their money?
Give evidence.
What did this do?
Saving.
1945 - $140 billion in savings nationally.
Helped fuel post-war consumer boom.
Economic - what was the 1941 War Production Board?
Made to control military production
Economic - what was introduced to control military production?
The 1941 War Production Board
Power of TUs - what happened to the power of Trade Unions?
Started growing
Power of TUs - how did union membership change?
1940 = 10.5 million
1945 = 14.75 million
Power of TUs - how did wages change?
Frozen by The Emergency Stabilization Act, Oct 1942
Power of TUs - give 2 examples of major trade unions.
The American Federation of Labor
The Congress of Industrial Organizations
Power of TUs - what did the 2 major trade unions (AFL + CIO) both agree not to do?
What would happen instead?
Not strike
The National War Labor Board would settle disputes.
Power of TUs - give evidence of significant industrial unrest.
1943, 400,000 coal miners went on strike for 12 weeks
Power of TUs - how many strikes took place between the attack on Pearl Harbour in Dec 1941 and VJ Day in Aug 1945?
14,000 strikes, involving some 6.7 million workers.
Power of TUs - what did the Smith-Connally War Labour Disputes Act of June 1943 allow?
When was it first used?
Federal govt to control essential war industries faced with industrial action.
Aug 1944 to break a public transport strike over employers who were ordered by the FEPC to employ black american drivers.
Power of TUs - which act allowed federal govt to take control of essential war industries faced with industrial action. ?
The Smith-Connally War Labour Disputes Act of June 1943
Migration - where did most migration take place?
To urban & industrial centres.
Migration - how many americans are estimated to have migrated during the war?
27 million
New industries/technology - there was a _____ to find the first _______ _____.
race
atomic bomb
New industries/technology - what was enacted to help the race to find the first atomic bomb?
The Manhattan Project, costing $9 billion.
New industries/technology - give examples of 4 industries began taking off.
Why?
Advanced electronics
Telecommunications
Pharmaceuticals
Atomic energy
Experiences of WW2
New industries/technology - what did the USA become the biggest exporter of in 1945?
Synthetic rubber
New industries/technology - why did pharmaceuticals increase?
Give evidence.
Demand for penicillin in WW2.
Federal govt funded 60 companies to mass produce penicillin.
New industries/technology - give evidence to support USA becoming devoted to war production.
1941 - 33% of the economy was devoted to war production.
Early 1945 - US industry supplied 50% of armaments to Allies.
1945 - USA spent 50% of national income on defence.
Existing factories transferred to war production.
New industries/technology - existing factories transferred to war production.
Give evidence of this.
The Ford Motor Company produced more military equipment in 1944 than the whole of Italy.
