World War I & II
69 Women and WWII
Women and WWII: The Lasting Societal Shift
Robert Sweet
Introduction
The involvement of women in the workforce during World War II marked a significant shift in the socio-economic landscape of the United States. With millions of men enlisted in the military, women stepped into various roles traditionally held by men, thereby contributing significantly to the wartime economy. This chapter explores the multifaceted contributions of American women to the United States’ efforts during World War II, focusing on their role in bolstering the wartime economy and facilitating the rationing of supplies. The chapter concludes by discussing the lasting impact of this shift, and how it has shaped the American economy and society today.
Women in the Workforce
During World War II, the demand for labor in industries crucial to the war effort surged. This demand, along with the shortage of male workers due to military enlistment, created opportunities for women to enter the workforce in unprecedented numbers. “The war led a dramatic rise in the number of women working in the United States; from 10.8 million in March, 1941, to more than 18 million in August, 1944, reversing a downward trend attributed to the depression” (Miller, 1980, p. 42). Innovations in technology made manual labor more accessible for women, leading to their increased participation in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation. In New England, many women worked in textile mills prior to the war, but technological advancements passed the textile industry by. Women’s tasks began ranging “from ‘grease-monkey’ for the machines to ‘floor ladies’” at jobs sites from manufacturing plants to navy yards (Miller, 1980, p. 44-45). The iconic image shown “Rosie the Riveter” (see Figure 1), immortalized in a famous war propaganda poster, symbolizes the millions of women who took up labor jobs and contributed to the production of goods that supported the war effort (Vergun, 2019).
The competition for workers during the war caused wages to increase in all industries and led the ratio of women’s weekly wages to men’s to rise from .54 to .60 between 1941 and 1944 (Miller, 1980, p. 48). Many laws were passed requiring more equality in pay and better working conditions. The war economy also ushered in a new level of mobility as transportation infrastructure increased, and without the threat of the draft, women often changed jobs in search of better conditions, more money, and variety in roles (Miller, 1980, p. 53). From a legal, economic, and societal standpoint the wartime economy provided new opportunities for women that would set the course for future integration and equality for women in the workforce.
Women’s Land Army
Apart from industrial jobs, women also played a crucial role in agriculture through organizations like the Women’s Land Army (WLA). Created to address the labor shortage in agriculture, particularly in rural areas, the WLA recruited and trained women to work on farms across the country (Carpenter, 1997). By taking up roles traditionally associated with men, such as plowing fields and operating machinery, women in the WLA contributed substantially to ensuring a stable food supply for both domestic consumption and the military abroad.
African american women & the military
African American women in the military, specifically in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), faced systemic racism and gender discrimination, limited job opportunities, and unequal treatment while striving to serve their country. In the spring of 1945 privates Mary Green, Anna Morrison, Johnnie Murray, and Alice young led a group of about fifty other black orderlies in a strike to protest their treatment. Although the strike collapsed after two days, the four named orderlies refused to obey the order to return back to work and were therefore charged with “disobeying a commanding officer”. The court-martial that these women were put through garnered tremendous attention as women had just been allowed to join the military only three years prior plus the fact that they were also African American making the trial a spectacle. The four women were represented by defense attorney Julian D. Rainey who was a prominent civil rights attorney, but regardless of how well he represented the women they were all sentenced to “one year of confinement with hard labor, loss of pay, and a dishonorable discharge” (Litoff, 2019). Even though the four women were given this sentence the charges were dropped less then a month later due to public outcry.
Despite the challenges many African American women faced in the military during the war, the Six Triple Eight Central Postal Directory Battalion (6888th) demonstrated resilience and excellence in their service. This battalion was made up of more than a thousand African American female troops and was commanded by Officer Earley who supervised day-to-day operations. Earley was the first and highest ranking African American army officer during the war. Led by Earley the battalion was sent oversees to Europe to handle the routing of mail for American troops stationed in Europe; the number of envelopes is estimated to be about seven million. Making sure American troops received their mail extremely key for morale and because of this The Six Triple Eight processed thousands of pieces of mail daily. This was not a simple task as the women of the battalion had to track troop movements as they were often being moved and there was a plethora of soldiers with the same name. Although this was an extremely challenging task, the battalion broke all records for redirecting mail and each eight hour shift processed over 65,000 pieces of mail. Their contributions not only boosted troop morale but also challenged segregation within the military, paving the way for future integration of African American women in the armed forces.
Rationing and Homefront Efforts
In addition to their contributions to the workforce, women played a vital role on the home front by managing resources efficiently and supporting rationing efforts. Rationing was a critical aspect of wartime economies, ensuring equitable distribution of essential goods during times of scarcity. Women became adept at stretching limited resources, practicing frugality, and adapting recipes to accommodate rationed ingredients (Bentley, 1998). Their efforts not only ensured that families were adequately fed but also freed up resources for the military.
Economic Impact and Post-War Boom
The mobilization of women into the workforce had far-reaching implications for the United States’ wartime economy and its post-war trajectory. Alan S. Milward offers a comprehensive analysis of the economic policies and productivity trends during World War II. The increased participation of women in the workforce, combined with technological advancements and government interventions, propelled the economy forward (Milward, 1977). The wartime economy laid the foundation for the post-war boom, setting the stage for unprecedented economic growth and prosperity in the years that followed (Pruitt, 2020). A key component of this was the strides taken towards equality that made it more practical for women to be active in the work force.
Connection to STS
When studying WWII, the focal point of its history revolves around the fighting of the war, which took the lives of over a half of a million Americans. Though the significance of the fight abroad should not be detracted from, it overshadows women’s efforts at home and the lasting impact of the societal shifts that took place. This missing voice in history offers an interesting perspective into how science, technological, and society interact. Driven by the shift of society into a state of all-out war, and aided by technological advancement and science, women were able to largely influence America’s ability to win the war abroad. An effort that often goes unnoticed. In doing so, societal norms and barriers were broken down, the economy was restructured, and strides were taken towards equality that would allow America to flourish.
Conclusion
American women made significant contributions to the United States’ efforts during World War II, regardless of race, particularly in bolstering the wartime economy. Through their participation in the workforce, organizations like the Women’s Land Army, and their efforts in rationing, women played a pivotal role in supporting the war effort and ensuring the country’s stability during a tumultuous period of world war. The legacy of their contributions resonates in the economic and social fabric of the United States, as it set new standards for women’s capabilities beyond the home that we still see impacting the work force and society today.
References
Bentley, A. (1998). Eating for Victory. University of Illinois. Google Books
Carpenter, S. A. (1997). “Regular Farm Girl”: The Women’s Land Army in World War II, Agricultural History, 71(2), 163–185. Duke University Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3744245
Litoff, J. B. (2019). Glory in Their Spirit: How Four Black Women Took On the Army during World War II. Journal of American History, 106(1), 236. https://doi-org.libproxy.clemson.edu/10.1093/jahist/jaz285.
Miller, M. (1980). Working Women and World War II. The New England Quarterly, 53(1), 42–61 https://doi.org/10.2307/365288
Milward, A. S. (1979). War, Economy and Society, 1939-1945. The University of California Press. Google Books.
Moore, B. L. (1993). Serving with a Dual Mission: African American Women in World War Ii. National Journal of Sociology, 7(1), 1–42.
Pruitt, S. (2020, May 15). The post World War II Boom: How America Got Into Gear. History.com.
https://www.history.com/news/post-world-war-ii-boom-economy
Vergun, D. (2019, March 21). Rosie the Riveter inspired women to serve in World War II. U.S. Department of Defense.
Woliver, L. R. (1990). One Woman’s Army: A Black Officer Remembers the WACs (Book Review). Sage, 7(1), 73. http://libproxy.clemson.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/one-womans-army-black-officer-remembers-wacs-book/docview/1300123306/se-2.
Image References
Members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion take part in a parade ceremony in honor of Joan d’Arc at the marketplace where she was burned at the stake.jpg. (2024, December 8). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 20:46, March 25, 2025 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Members_of_the_6888th_Central_Postal_Directory_Battalion_take_part_in_a_parade_ceremony_in_honor_of_Joan_d%27Arc_at_the_marketplace_where_she_was_burned_at_the_stake.jpg&oldid=967692648.
Vergun, D. (2019, March 21). Rosie the Riveter inspired women to serve in World War II. U.S. Department of Defense.
AI ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT3.5 to generate summaries of articles used in research, a general thesis statement, and rough outline for this chapter. The prompts used include:
- “Summarize the following article…”
- “Create a thesis statement arguing why womens role during world war two changed the U.S. economy”
- “Generate an outline for a paper based on Contributions of Women to the United States Wartime Economy during World War II. Include women entering the workforce, aiding in agriculture, rationing food, and the economic impact that followed the war.”
- “Reword this…”
The output from these prompts was used to increase the efficiency of research, generate ideas for a thesis statement and rough draft of chapter, and aid in the wording of the chapter.
