America after WWII When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the United States went into World War II. Since then, daily life in America was changed. The country was in panic. Individuals were restricted to buy food, clothing and fuel at a limited amount. A hold was put on the production of appliances, automobiles, and homes until the war has ended. Wages were controlled and many Americans saved their income, which helped contributed to the growth after the war. One thing that benefitted from the war was employment. Many workers were needed but the war reduced the amount of young men available for jobs. This resulted in women taking on jobs that were often done by men. Once the war was over, men returned and became the breadwinners once more. The transformation of American society after WWII was …show more content…
After World War II, soldiers returned to America noticing that since the four years they were gone, the American economy was no longer in a state of depression. The economy was growing, there were more employment opportunities because the amount of jobs was high. More employment opportunities were followed by higher paying jobs as well. Higher paying jobs lead to young adults spending more which increased purchasing power (The Rise of American Consumerism, n.d.). Consumer spending in America after WWII was not just spending to satisfy materialistic desires of an individual. Consumer spending was portrayed as something patriotic a citizen contributes to the economy. A consumer who believed and demonstrated that “more, newer and better” was praised as a good citizen (The Rise of American Consumerism, n.d.). American individuals were investing in items that would benefit their homes and families. The items revolved around home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and vacuum cleaners. A few of the most desired items that