The American authority had avoided entering into war due to the American Neutrality Acts. The Americans had developed an isolationist attitude and many of them were convinced American involvement in World War I was propelled by the wealthy bankers and business moguls who had interest with European market and not for the interest of the common American citizen. Therefore, the Americans pursued not to get involved in conflicts of foreign nations. But, the Pearl Harbor attack made the America to declare war on Japan . The entry of America in the war changed everything. To win the war America needed support from the government, businesses and citizens. In this paper I will look on how these three groups worked together to promote production for the war and the how the war affected each group.
The American government played a great role in promoting wartime production. Several measures were put in place to ensure the industries and manufacturing sectors were geared towards producing equipment’s for war and not for consumer consumption. The measures in place were steered by government bodies like War Production Board and the Office of the War Mobilization and Reconversion. These units ensured the consumer economy was turned to military production. The government spent more funds than it had done in the past. This created job opportunities to an extent that all the unemployed people who had come out of the Great Depression got employment and still there was labor force deficit.
The government spending and industries production made the economy to boom during the war period. To curb inflation, the government issued war bonds, increased taxes and advised the citizens to save their earnings. The patriotic spirit of the Americans made this plan a success. The amount the government raised through these measures were used to fund the war activities, other activities like construction and consumer goods were not prioritized. The consumers were even giving food rationing cards to ensure they did not over consumer the basic foods like butter, processed food, cheese, meat, gasoline and sugar that could be supplied to soldiers in the battlefield.
The government under the influence of civil rights group signed the Executive Order Number 8802 that empowered the Blacks to take positions in the military and in the federal government. This though signed to stop protesters in diverting the government attention, it boosted military with more soldiers and support staff. Also, the blacks got an opportunity to move from the Southern States that were majorly dominated by agriculture to Northern States to take industrial jobs that were on the rise. In response, the government contracted the Mexicans to take agricultural and railroads job to ensure there was a balance between war equipment’s and food production.
Before the war American factories were producing automobiles, home appliances and children items. But, in a short time after the Pearl Harbor attack all the factories had converted to producing for war in accordance with War Production Board guidelines. The industries engaged in producing military equipment’s and weapons that were supplied to the American soldiers and allies like United Kingdom and Soviet Union.
Among the notable factories that turned to producing for war were; the Lionel toy train company that used to specialize in rail gauges. It turned to produce nautical items for war like compasses that were used by the Navy. The Ford Motor company and Alcoa which is an aluminum factory went ahead to produce airplanes and material for aircraft industries for the war respectively. The Ford Motors produced B-24 liberator bombers. Alcoa built fabricating and smelting plants in large numbers that helped in production of propellers blades and structural parts of airplanes for the war (US Dept of Defense, 2021).
The citizens supported the war in several ways. One they accepted the government directives of food rationing, saving and buying war bonds. This helped in stabilizing the economy during the war. The men took up the challenge of being in the battlefield and the positions they left in other industries were taken by women. The women worked in factories that were geared towards weapons production, in military as administrators and in uniforms and others volunteered in charitable organizations that were supporting the war. The minorities though the government had signed Executive Order Number 8802 their uptake in the war activities were minimal, but, they had the spirit to fight for the sake of their nation; America. Jim Crow laws were still a hindrance to them.
At the end of the war the American government gained a lot. One, it won the war. Two, it emerged as the world superpower with well-developed military men and equipment, though, it lost almost half a million people in the war; soldiers and citizens. Three, America came out of the war with a booming economy and with a hope of flourishing consumer economy. The major challenge was of rewarding and helping soldiers who were returning home from the war to transition their lives. The G.I Bill that was used to reward returning servicemen did not reward or help women who had participated in the war in equal measure with their male counterparts. The bill also discriminated the Black in joining colleges and buying housing, and the homosexuals. All in all, the bill helped in making the economy to boom after the war.
The war created ready market for the war weapons and equipment’s that were being produced. The industries flourished during the war because they supplied their products to the American government and the allies. After the war, the factories were also able to transition back to consumer production because the citizens were spending more. The G.I Bill dollars and Federal Housing Administration loans boosted the demand for education, housing and other basic needs. The government also paid the citizens the amount it had borrowed from them through war bonds. This increased the amount of spending to the citizens that ended up in boosting industries (History.com, 2021).
The citizens majorly benefitted in getting employment. The war required more soldiers, it gave some people jobs as soldiers. The industries absorbed more people in employment to meet the demands of the war. The women also got an opportunity to hold key business positions. The minorities witnessed Executive Order Number 8802 becoming a law and this provided jobs to them in military and in federal government. The jobs helped the citizens to build their financial security. This led to the emergence of the American mid class population.
In conclusion, though the Americans lost lives in the war. The war helped the Americans to shape a great future for themselves and the stability of the world peace. The people who had come out of the Great Depression with a lot of financial challenges, the war gave them financial freedom.
The American government played a great role in promoting wartime production. Several measures were put in place to ensure the industries and manufacturing sectors were geared towards producing equipment’s for war and not for consumer consumption. The measures in place were steered by government bodies like War Production Board and the Office of the War Mobilization and Reconversion. These units ensured the consumer economy was turned to military production. The government spent more funds than it had done in the past. This created job opportunities to an extent that all the unemployed people who had come out of the Great Depression got employment and still there was labor force deficit.
The government spending and industries production made the economy to boom during the war period. To curb inflation, the government issued war bonds, increased taxes and advised the citizens to save their earnings. The patriotic spirit of the Americans made this plan a success. The amount the government raised through these measures were used to fund the war activities, other activities like construction and consumer goods were not prioritized. The consumers were even giving food rationing cards to ensure they did not over consumer the basic foods like butter, processed food, cheese, meat, gasoline and sugar that could be supplied to soldiers in the battlefield.
The government under the influence of civil rights group signed the Executive Order Number 8802 that empowered the Blacks to take positions in the military and in the federal government. This though signed to stop protesters in diverting the government attention, it boosted military with more soldiers and support staff. Also, the blacks got an opportunity to move from the Southern States that were majorly dominated by agriculture to Northern States to take industrial jobs that were on the rise. In response, the government contracted the Mexicans to take agricultural and railroads job to ensure there was a balance between war equipment’s and food production.
Before the war American factories were producing automobiles, home appliances and children items. But, in a short time after the Pearl Harbor attack all the factories had converted to producing for war in accordance with War Production Board guidelines. The industries engaged in producing military equipment’s and weapons that were supplied to the American soldiers and allies like United Kingdom and Soviet Union.
Among the notable factories that turned to producing for war were; the Lionel toy train company that used to specialize in rail gauges. It turned to produce nautical items for war like compasses that were used by the Navy. The Ford Motor company and Alcoa which is an aluminum factory went ahead to produce airplanes and material for aircraft industries for the war respectively. The Ford Motors produced B-24 liberator bombers. Alcoa built fabricating and smelting plants in large numbers that helped in production of propellers blades and structural parts of airplanes for the war (US Dept of Defense, 2021).
The citizens supported the war in several ways. One they accepted the government directives of food rationing, saving and buying war bonds. This helped in stabilizing the economy during the war. The men took up the challenge of being in the battlefield and the positions they left in other industries were taken by women. The women worked in factories that were geared towards weapons production, in military as administrators and in uniforms and others volunteered in charitable organizations that were supporting the war. The minorities though the government had signed Executive Order Number 8802 their uptake in the war activities were minimal, but, they had the spirit to fight for the sake of their nation; America. Jim Crow laws were still a hindrance to them.
At the end of the war the American government gained a lot. One, it won the war. Two, it emerged as the world superpower with well-developed military men and equipment, though, it lost almost half a million people in the war; soldiers and citizens. Three, America came out of the war with a booming economy and with a hope of flourishing consumer economy. The major challenge was of rewarding and helping soldiers who were returning home from the war to transition their lives. The G.I Bill that was used to reward returning servicemen did not reward or help women who had participated in the war in equal measure with their male counterparts. The bill also discriminated the Black in joining colleges and buying housing, and the homosexuals. All in all, the bill helped in making the economy to boom after the war.
The citizens majorly benefitted in getting employment. The war required more soldiers, it gave some people jobs as soldiers. The industries absorbed more people in employment to meet the demands of the war. The women also got an opportunity to hold key business positions. The minorities witnessed Executive Order Number 8802 becoming a law and this provided jobs to them in military and in federal government. The jobs helped the citizens to build their financial security. This led to the emergence of the American mid class population.
In conclusion, though the Americans lost lives in the war. The war helped the Americans to shape a great future for themselves and the stability of the world peace. The people who had come out of the Great Depression with a lot of financial challenges, the war gave them financial freedom.
