The Impact of World War ll on America (Free Essay Example)

World War ll was the biggest and deadliest war in history, and it began on September 1, 1939. World War ll began because Germany planned an unprovoked attack on Poland. World War II brought many changes to America. This war impacted America in many different ways; factories were turned into wartime production, women were now working in jobs that were previously seen as jobs for men and were also working in the war, and citizens of America incorporated rationing and producing more goods to support themselves and their troops. 

America turned their factories to wartime production. The US needed to produce planes, guns, ammunition, ships, and vehicles for war. Items that were needed included metal, petroleum, rubber, paper, and plastic. Americans rationed goods and also donated these goods so that the supplies that they needed for the war were produced. The government agreed to assume all costs of development and production and guaranteed a profit on whatever was produced to urge cooperation. This resulted in a 233-350 percent increase of profits over what businesses were able to achieve in 1937-1940. The top 100 corporations received approximately 70 percent of government contracts. The government turned to bond drives to finance the second world war. Many Americans bought bonds, and they raised more than 185 billion dollars. Children even purchased Victory stamps and exchanged full stamp booklets for bonds. The government also instituted the tax-withholding system to ensure that taxes were collected. This is important because wartime production was necessary for the men and women in the war to have all of the supplies they needed as they headed into battle. 

During World War ll, women were able to work jobs that were once only completed by men, and women were able to join the war. Since so many men were fighting in the war, more jobs opened up and more women became employed in the workforce. World War ll led women to take jobs in defense plants and factories all across the country. For many women, these jobs provided more opportunities for them to be working in jobs that were once looked at as exclusive to men, and some women even worked in offices. African American women had taken over the previous lower-paying jobs of white women, and some were hired in defense plants. Even with many women in the workforce, they still weren’t getting paid as much as men, yet they were working the same jobs. However, they were still making money, and by 1944, approximately 33 percent of women in the workforce were mothers. Women working in these types of jobs before World War ll was not common, so this was a significant time in history as many women were able to join the workforce. Women were also able to join the war. Thousands of women now served in the war, and approximately 350 thousand women joined the military. Many women served as nurses, and women who enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps worked in military jobs that were usually the jobs completed by men. Women now drove trucks, repaired planes, and even performed clerical work to free men to go into the war. The women who joined the Women's Airforce Service Pilots flew planes from factories to military bases. Some women were killed in the war or captured as prisoners in the war. Many women also worked in different civil service jobs, and others worked as chemists, engineers who developed weapons for war, like the women who worked for the Manhattan Project that helped create the atomic bomb. Women were able to work in a wide variety of different jobs, enlist in the military, and do many different things that they once were not allowed to do. 

America was running short on food, so rationing was incorporated in America, and citizens produced their food in victory gardens. Rationing was instituted in America because large amounts of food was sent to the troops who were fighting in the war. People in America found different ways to ration, one of which by using rationing booklets. These booklets had coupons that allowed them to buy limited portions of meat, coffee, butter, sugar, and even some other goods, like shoes, cigarettes, and gasoline. Civilians also recycled and conserved so that they could participate in drives that collected items for war material production. Rationing was also used because wartime transportation was difficult, as the ships that were used to transport sugar were now being used for carrying war supplies. Rationing was important to guarantee a fair share for all consumers, as well as making sure that areas far away from production centers were also getting supplies that they needed. Rationing helped boost the morale of Americans that were serving in the war, and it also led Americans to show their support to the troops.  Many people started to produce their own goods in “Victory Gardens”. Towards the end of the war, there were approximately 20 million victory gardens spread across America, and these gardens produced almost 40 percent of vegetables that were consumed in the United States.  The goal of these gardens was to make sure everyone had enough food as large amounts of it was sent to the troops. They produced a wide variety of goods; potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, sweet potatoes, beans, peas, zucchini, beets and squash. They also were able to produce herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, sage, and chives. Fruit trees were also grown, and produced fruits like apples, grapes, pears, and peaches. The way that food was preserved was by canning foods. Jellies were made from grapes and other fruits, beans could be dried, and apples could also be dried. The impact between rationing & victory gardens was tremendous, as it helped many Americans with the ability to have food, and they gave much of it to the troops who needed the food the most. This provided citizens with an opportunity to help with the war effort. 

World War II began in 1939 and became the largest and deadliest war in history. It began on September 1, 1939, and started since Germany planned an unprovoked attack on Poland. This caused Britain and France to declare war on Germany. This war brought many changes to America and there were major differences in life after the war. World War ll impacted America in many different ways; factories were turned into wartime production to produce supplies for the war, women were now working in jobs that were traditionally seen as male jobs, and Americans incorporated rationing and created victory gardens in order to have enough food for themselves and the troops that were in battle during World War ll.