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The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act was a law passed by President Harry S. Truman, allowing women to join the army. Before the act was passed, only men were permitted to be in combat, while women in the army worked in clinical positions. When World War II began, despite women not being allowed to join the “regular” army, the Women’s Army Corps was created and granted full army status during wartime. The growth in the number of women in the corps, along with the fact that they performed equally to the army, were two of the main factors for the law to be created and passed. The WAC was set to be expired in 1948, but the act was passed in the same years which meant that women would continue to be allowed to fight in the army.
Women in the Second World War participated in the war effort by joining the women’s uniformed services. The Canadian women’s Army Corps was approved on the 13th August 1941 to enlist thousands of women in support roles for the military forces.¹ The CWAC, Canadian Women’s Army Corps largely operated in Canada, as a corps within the active militia of Canada, but by 1944, they were assigned to clerical and support duties in war regions. Several thousands were sent to support Canadian forces in Britain, Italy and northeast Europe. The CWAC made up to 2.8% of the total Canadian Army in 1945.² The CWAC is recognized as great contribution that women played in the success of the Allied victory in World War II.
The needs of the armed forces, the war economy and the deployment of men overseas created new jobs and opportunities for women. Before World War 2, they were not permitted to enlist in the military services, most of them were working in factories, shops or family businesses. From late 1940, Australian women were permitted and encouraged to enlist in the military services. Australian Women’s Army Service (A.W.A.S.) established the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force, Army and Navy forces. Lorna Byrne who used to be a member of the Australian Women’s Army Services (A.W.A.S.) said that women lived and worked under the same conditions as men.
The role of women in Australian society started to change as a result of the war effort during World War II as their domestic roles were replaced by male dominating ones. On the home front, women dealt with the consequences of war – managing children and family responsibilities alone, shortages of resources, as well as their fears for the future, and the grief and trauma of losing loved ones. Australian women rose to the challenge of war by volunteering their services when manpower was limited and all Australians were needed to help sustain a functioning war economy.
From 1914-1918, Canada was in a state of Total War. Women and minorities contributed to the war effort on the homefront by making clubs for themselves, custom making quilts, bandages, and clothes for overseas, worked traditional male jobs, donated land, working in the red cross, and organizing festivals. Every citizen of Canada was committed to giving back to the war effort. Even at home and overseas, the military added to the country being in Total War in the air and the sea; they gave it their all no matter where they were fighting. The government’s power in Canada created even a larger condition of Total War by the restrictions introduced and the amount of money spent/donated in WWI.
During the war, there was a drastic decrease on supplies and soldiers for the war effort. Men, being sent to war by conscription, could no longer work or support Canada. Women saw these needs and
World War 1 played a crucial role in aiding the movement for female equality in Canada, however, it also hindered it by contributing to the enforcement of gender roles in the workplace. Not one single event will end the constant battle women must endure in all aspects of life, though certain opportunities, such as the job opportunities received during the war, most certainly help women in the fighting of said battle. When numerous jobs were left open by men who were called to the front lines of the war, women were finally presented with the opportunity to work outside of their homes for the first time and provide for their families. Next, generous amounts of awareness of social change were brought to light for women’s contributions throughout
Many women took on the jobs and roles of the men, who had gone to fight in the war. Canada needed women to help support the war effort by working at home, working men’s jobs, and some enlisting in the war building parts for ships and aircraft and manufactured ammunition. “Out of a total Canadian population of 11 million people, only about 600,000 Canadian women held permanent jobs when the war started. During the war, their numbers doubled to 1,200,000” (Veterans.gc.ca). Women also helped on the Homefront by knitting scarves, socks, and mitts for the men who enlisted.
Although the Australian Army Nursing Service was a viable occupation for women prior to WWII, few women were engaged in this service, as women needed a sufficient education and there was a strong push from the government for women to stay out of the workforce (State Library of Victoria, 2015). These sentiments underwent dramatic change during the war, with an increasing number of women contributing to the war and enjoying it. Sister Jane Tivey, a nurse on board the ship ‘Destroyer’ in WWII described this liberation, “On the Destroyer it was the most marvellous feeling… [even though] I hadn’t had a bath for five days and slept in my clothing” (Australian War Memorial, 2015). This was a common attitude for women of all ages as corroborated by sixteen year old Grace Wallace, a volunteer for the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) in WWII. Wallace denoted that times were tough, work was hard but the girls got on quite well together (Green Net, 2015).
Wives, mothers, and daughters, of Patriot soldiers were left to operate businesses and keep up with the duties of farms. Other women followed their soldiers to the battlefield. Though their presence around the army men was oftentimes controversial - they were commonly regarded as nuisances - having women around to clean and cook, along with being companions, benefited the American army. Women that wanted to fill the boots that their husbands left, or step up to the plate on their own, would disguise themselves as men so they could participate in battle. Post-war women’s roles were seemingly regarded the same as they had been before.
In 1939, no one thought that women, who weren 't even considered people decades before, would have such a massive impact in the Second World War. Canadian women 's contribution to the war effort, and their role at the home front and overseas had greatly increased since the previous, devastating First World War. The Second World War brought change to Canadian women on an unpredictable scale, though their volunteer work, paid labour force, and their contributions in the armed forces. Surely without the contributions made by the Canadian women, Canada and her allies would not have been as successful as they were. By far, the prime contribution made by Canadian women to the war effort came through their unpaid labour as volunteer work.
During the Second World War, after many of the men left to join the battle overseas, women were once again given the task of running the nation, and in order to do so they took over traditionally ‘masculine’ jobs, such as working in munitions bunkers, and on farms. By doing so, women were able to keep the economy running, which helped pay for war efforts and even provided the nation with more jobs. Contrary to WWI, women were now encouraged to take on more jobs directly related to the ongoing war. For instance, on the home front, an approximation of 35 000 women were working in munitions factories, making the artillery for the soldiers. Not to mention, for the first time in Canadian history, new positions in the military such as Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRENS) and the Women Division (WD) in The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) were created so that women were able to contribute more towards the war efforts.
Women were well suited for providing nourishment and necessities for the army due to their skills obtained by their accustomed housework. “...the American army often recruited the many female camp followers to fill these jobs” (Brooks 2013, para. 17). They had slowly began to achieve recognition in society, especially war. It was then, that woman had begun to silently “protest” on having the same equal opportunity as men. During the war, women created a role for themselves to side amongst the male soldiers: a secret soldier.
In the book written by (Gavin, 1997) it was cited that “As women took over from their absent men in hundreds of new and challenging occupations, many of which had previously been considered inappropriate”. From the beginning of the World War 1, the German women were participating a great deal. They contributed to half a million-people working on the munitions manufacturing alone (Gavin, 1997). It also mentioned in the book that over in the U.S, the men in charge refused to let the women participate up until April 1917 (Gavin, 1997). The U.S government never formally authorize the enrolment of women, despite Army officials repeatedly asking for such personnel’s.
The gender role in military as women categorized and stereotyped by men has never been easy. Military does not require muscular or gender power for leadership in combat or command positions. Some men believe that women in command will weaken the military tradition or military in context. The gender role of “women” and “soldiers” proved to many that is uncontested in World War I and II when women served as auxiliaries. Women have a long history of service in the military.
