The Changing Roles of Women in the 1940s (World War 2)
Before the war, men believed women to be incapable of completing the duties in the military. Between 1939 and 1945, the second World War brought global destruction. While more than 11 million American men went overseas to fight for America, women had to take over different roles on the home-front. Although some women did fight on the battlefield, most women took on the jobs that men had before the war. Women filled the traditionally male jobs of welders, miners, and crane operators (Keller 724). Before the war, there were a little over a thousand women in the military ("FOCUS ON: WOMEN AT WAR:"). During the war, nineteen million women accounted for a third of America's total wartime workforce, working in hospitals as nurses, in factories, as well as on the war-front (Keller 724). More women worked outside of their home than ever before. Many women took the traditional jobs as secretaries and took care of their children. Because of the national urgency for women to take part in the war effort, they also volunteered for the Red Cross, Women's Auxiliary Army Corps, and the Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service run by the Navy (Keller 724). During this trying period, women were able to make advancements in their struggle for equality.
|
The Roosevelt administration's War Manpower Commission created the image of "Rosie the Riveter" to encourage women to do their part in the war. The image was posted everywhere in America, and it played a large role in many women's decision so help with the war effort (Keller 724). Estelle Gage Coleman volunteered as a nurse in 1943 and was assigned to the United States Army Hospital Ship Shamrock. Estelle made three trips to the Mediterranean as a member of the crew, collecting patients. She completed her Army nursing duty at Stark General Hospital in Charleston ("FOCUS ON: WOMEN AT WAR:"). Her nursing uniform is shown above. Adah Mae Briscoe joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942. One of her duties was reproducing restricted, confidential, secret and top Secret material, some of which including information regarding the D-Day landings and the dropping of the atomic bombs. After the war, Adah and her coworkers were complimented by their superiors ("FOCUS ON: WOMEN AT WAR:"). Her uniform is shown above. These two women are examples of the changing roles of women.