Why Is World War 2 Possible

1090 Words5 Pages

Kane Brennan
Mrs. Marlar
Honors U.S. History-G
17 February, 2023 What Does War Make Possible? World War 2 lasted from 1939 to 1945 and was one of the most devastating conflicts in human history. While it was an incredibly devastating event, the war did lead to a significant boost in the economy and created newfound equality for women. The war effort created an unprecedented demand for goods, leading to a massive influx in production and employment opportunities. With most men serving in the military, women were called upon to take on nontraditional roles and serve in the workforce, which led to greater social independence and equality for them.
During World War 2, the United States mobilized their economy in order to support the war …show more content…

With most men serving in the military, women were now encouraged to work in the labor force, which was against traditional societal norms, to help the war efforts in the ways that they could. An example of women being encouraged to serve in the workforce is the Rosie the Riveter posters that were hung up during the war that showed a women and jump suit flexing with the words “We can do it” (Rosie the Riveter). written across it. This poster was made to show women that they could serve in the workforce and to motivate them to do so. Before the war had started, this would have never happened, and women would have stayed at home and let men serve the work-force, like they had traditionally. With this newfound encouragement “Five million women entered the workforce” (Khan). Allowing women to work in the labor force not only gave them the equality of being able to work the same jobs as men, but it also allowed them to have social independence and a source of income without having to rely on men. Serving in the workforce was not the only societal norm that women broke during World War 2. Another one was that “350,000 women served in the armed forces during World War II” (Khan). Although they were still not permitted to participate in armed conflict, these women served as medics for the army and navy. The increase in jobs and production lead to women being needed to serve in the work force and also in the military. This equality also led to societal independence for women and made it possible for them to rely on