A Tribute to the Women of World War II

By Melina Farahmand

Founder & Owner of Past Present Future

"I think a lot of women said, 'Screw that noise.' 'Cause they had a taste of freedom, they had a taste of making their own money, a taste of spending their own money, making their own decisions. I think the beginning of the women's movement had its seeds right there in World War Two."- Dellie Hahne, an educator who worked as a nurse's aid for the Red Cross during the war

To the Women of World War II

The red polka dot bandana, the blue worker’s shirt, and the flexed arm of Rosie the Riveter showing American women “We Can Do It” is a huge representation of the hard working women of the World War II era. It is common knowledge that American history is full of wild and unimaginable events that form stories which many people read in history books today; however, there is a certain period in United States history that has always interested young minds: World War II. In fact, maybe it is time that people call this time period “herstory”. Women of this time period went from being average housewives to helping the war effort, and they virtually cut the war time in half through their hard work. Now, women in America can be anything their hearts desire. The women of World War II completely redefined the lives of the future generations of American women and the female empowerment movement through the work they did for the war effort.       Through dedication, hard work, and patriotism, these American women stepped up when their country needed them. Therefore, because of this action, “women were reclassified” (“Women During World War II”). These women forever changed not only their lives, but also the lives of women everywhere in America, and for the better. Women during this time period managed to do this just by working and taking over the posts of men who went to war. Most of the jobs in which they were employed in were male dominated professions. In fact, the work force was changed because of this; additionally, “between 1940 and 1945 the number of women in the work force increased from 12 million to 19 million” (Lunardini). The status quo was challenged, then “shattered” by their actions and the traditional perception of women was changed. They are the reason women have made such awe-inspiring and extraordinary accomplishments in the work force today.         The women of World War II are the pioneers, the trailblazers, the leaders of what would soon be a revolution of female empowerment throughout the country, they proved they can do anything a man can do like joining the work force. The need for women to step up into these positions was at its pinnacle during the war; additionally, education website Khan Academy  stated that “World War II provided unprecedented opportunities for American women to enter into jobs that had never before been open to women, particularly in the defense industry,” (“American Women and World War II”). This was a huge step for women being able joining the armed forces. Additionally, it shows that the military was willing to open the door for women to show their patriotism. Furthermore, Liza Mundy had also said in her book which is a tribute to the code breakers of World War II that, “during the war, the need for women in the workforce grew” (25). Some of the fields that women worked in can be summed up in three categories: military, manufacturing, and nursing. Of course women worked in many other fields as well, but these were the main career fields in which they were employed. In addition, it was stated in an article that, “They faced many challenges in overcoming stereotypes against women as well as finding adequate childcare during working hours, minority women also endured discrimination and dislocation during the war years” (“Woman”). Coding was a major profession that women occupied during the war. However, women had to keep quiet about working for the coding program in the military. Some would claim they were there as secretaries, and others were forced to claim that they were there for more intimate reasons. According to Khan Academy, over 350,000 women served in the armed forces during this difficult time in United States history. The defense industry had opened up major roles for women to participate in (“American Women and World War II”).   Gender roles were challenged in this era in history. In addition to that, “the 1950’s housewife: By 1950 about 32% of women were working outside the home, and of those, about half were married” (“American Women and World War II”). World War I had a dramatic impact on women and on the workforce since this war also required women to step out of their normal lives; However, World War II had an even greater impact because: according to author Liza Mundy, “the war changed women” (pg #).  It changed women so much that they no longer desired to be just housewives, they saw their potential to be and do greater, and many decided to stay in the workforce. However, when the men came back from war that meant that the women were not needed anymore in the work force. So a lot of them had to either quit their jobs, or risk being fired by their employers. Many women did not want to stop working, so that meant a lot of firings took place. In conclusion, in an article regarding the role of women during World War II states that “75% of women reported that they wanted to continue working after World War II. Women were laid off in large numbers at the end of the war,” (“American women and World War II”): This shows that no one wanted women to branch out and do work after men came back. Furthermore, this shows that sexism was still an issue even after women proved themselves to be great and capable.   Some refer to the men and women of this era as the Greatest Generation. It is a very fitting name for these heroic people. According to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “This generation has a rendezvous with destiny.” The American men and women of this era had no idea the impact they were going to have on the lives of future generations. As the war came to an end, many transitions took place, especially for women: additionally, “When peace came, women’s place was to transition” (“Women”). This was not an easy transition for women to make, as stated before, “The war changed women,” (Mundy). After everything they had done, everything they had become accustomed to doing, they were being asked to go back to their former lives: cleaning their homes, nurturing their children, cooking, etc… The war had opened the door for women and it showed the world that they could be more than that, but now society was slamming it shut in their faces again. To conclude, the women of the Greatest Generation are owed a huge debt of gratitude. Their dedicated and patriotic service started a revolution and their grace, class, and resilience changed the lives of future generations. From military service, to nursing, to taking care of the home front, and to manufacturing, they proved that women are truly incredible beings with the ability to accomplish anything they put their minds to.

So, to the women of World War II, thank you for your service.

Works Cited

“American Women and World War II.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-7/apush-us-wwii/a/american-women-and-world-war-ii.Lunardini, Christine A. What Every American Should Know About Women’s History. Holbrook, Massachusetts; Bob Adams Inc, 1941. Mundy, Liza. Code Girls: the Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II. Hachette Books, 2017.“History At a Glance: Women in World War II.” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, The National World War II Museum, www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-resources/research-starters/women-wwii.Ware, Susan. Holding Their Own: American Women in the 1930s. Twayne Publishing, 1982.“Women During World War II.” Primary Source Media, 1999. American Journey. US History in Context. “Women at Home After World War II.” Women in America. Primary Source Media, 1999, American Journey. U.S History in Context. “Women and Work After World War II.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/tupperware-work/.