Transcript World War II: The Home Front

Answer all questions in this Powerpoint on a separate piece of paper to turn
in to Mrs. Meckes tomorrow.
After years of isolationism, Americans united after the bombing of Pearl
Harbor by the Japanese military. They united under the battle cry of
“Remember Pearl Harbor!”
Americans join the war
effort!
Selective Service and the GI
Five million volunteered for military service but that was still not enough for an all
out war on two fronts.
The Selective Service System expanded the draft and eventually provided another
10 million soldiers.
Women in the Military
Congress passed a law in 1942 establishing the WAAC (Women’s Auxiliary Army
Corps) that would handle some of the military duties that men usually held.
In all, some 250,000 women served in the WAAC’s and other auxiliary branches
during the war.
“Why die for democracy when we don’t even have it over here?”
quote in an editorial of an African-American newspaper
This was a feeling shared by African-American, Native American, MexicanAmerican, and Asian American minority groups who faced segregation and
inequality here in the United States.
Minorities knew that life under Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan) would be worse than
what they faced in the United States.
“We are also children of the United States. We will defend her.”
quote from the Spanish speaking congress
About 500,00
Mexican-Americans
joined the armed
forces to fight in
WWII.
Some 25,000 Native
Americans including 800
women enlisted.
More than one million African-Americans joined the
military. At first they were not permitted in combat, but
after much protest, they served in combat the last year of
the war.
More than 13,000 Chinese Americans and 33,000
Japanese Americans joined the military. Many
served as spies and interpreters.
How did the U.S. military reflect the diversity of American society
during World War II?
What was the battle cry of Americans that united them to become
involved in the war?