Women's Role In World War II

When you hear Americans in World War II you usually think of fighting or how we dropped the atomic bomb. But, what if I told you that women actually played a key role in World War II. They could join the military if they wanted. They took over the roles of men, such as their jobs. Some helped greatly from home by working in factories and rationing much needed supplies. Here are some of the things that women did to help us win World War II.
World War two was the first war that women played a major role in. During World War II 350,000 women served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Some served from home, others got to see it up-close and personally. Most women who went and actually fought in the war were part of the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. (W.A.S.P.
Because a lot of the men in America were off fighting in the war, women took over men’s roles. Most women helped by working in aviation factories. In 1943 women made up 65% of the aviation industry workers. Before the war, it was only 1%. That’s a major increase. But aviation factories weren’t the only factories with mainly women workers. The munitions industry gained a lot of women workers too. Most factories started to hire women workers during World War II. Rosie the Riveter was made during this time too. She was made to show women that their patriotic needs of the workforce were needed now more than ever. She was also made to show men that because women were taking over men’s jobs doesn’t mean that they’re not feminine. But people helped without working in factories
The United States needed to feed not only America but, also the men fighting for us.Women helped ration foods and grow “victory” gardens. Women were encouraged to grow victory gardens because then the factories could supply war supplies. Victory gardens also stopped food shortages. America rationed food, metal, fabrics, rubber, fats, and grease. America rationed metal to make bombs and bullets. America rationed fabric for clothing. Japan supplied most of America’s rubber. Because we were fighting Japan we had a rubber shortage. America had to ration rubber in ways like each American only got five tires for their car. And, their job and how far they needed to travel for it decided how much gas they got. Americans were also encouraged to not go on Sunday drives to help save the rubber tires on their cars. Fat and grease were used to make explosives. They used the glycerin from the fats and grease to help make the explosives. America rationed a bunch and women helped keep rationing