Women in Great Britain in Ww2
During WWII, women in Great Britain were morally obligated to serve their country by engaging in Work dealing with the war. Many women faced the dilemma of choosing between their house and mothering duties, and their desire to help in the war effort. This meant replacing men who were at war in factories and other professional labor oriented jobs. World War II was a historic leap for women in Great Britain to gain recognition in society by earning better male wages in factories and gaining the appropriate skills to play an important role in winning the war their country faced. However these leaps and bounds for women in society came at a high price and was paid for by many years of hard work and dangerous times.
With the war approaching, a labor shortage was prevalent and women were looked upon as a precious and viable source of untapped labor. Eventually, if they hadn't already volunteered, they were compelled to enter the work force by legislation such as the "National Service Act" (1941), the "Registration of Employment Order" (1941), and the "Employment of Women Order" (1942) (Shuke 11). Because all women 18-24 were forced to register with Employment Exchange, there was no way to avoid filling the shortage caused by men at the front lines. The government could, and did, compel women into what was considered "useful war work" which encroached on private life considerably (shuke 15). The old timers resented this intrusion, but did what they had to. They often went back to the comfort ability of office work, or light industrial work.
These women continued to operate within the women's sphere of work, and did what was expected of them. This can most easily be explained as “taking the option that caused the least disruption to their feminine identities,” (Gilbert 92). They chose not to cause conflict, or act brashly against societal norms. . However that was the norm in everyday life in most of the world at this time. To question their roles in society or dare
With the war approaching, a labor shortage was prevalent and women were looked upon as a precious and viable source of untapped labor. Eventually, if they hadn't already volunteered, they were compelled to enter the work force by legislation such as the "National Service Act" (1941), the "Registration of Employment Order" (1941), and the "Employment of Women Order" (1942) (Shuke 11). Because all women 18-24 were forced to register with Employment Exchange, there was no way to avoid filling the shortage caused by men at the front lines. The government could, and did, compel women into what was considered "useful war work" which encroached on private life considerably (shuke 15). The old timers resented this intrusion, but did what they had to. They often went back to the comfort ability of office work, or light industrial work.
These women continued to operate within the women's sphere of work, and did what was expected of them. This can most easily be explained as “taking the option that caused the least disruption to their feminine identities,” (Gilbert 92). They chose not to cause conflict, or act brashly against societal norms. . However that was the norm in everyday life in most of the world at this time. To question their roles in society or dare