Women In The War Effort Analysis

In both World War I and World War II, men were enlisted into the war effort. What many people do not think of during the World Wars are women, even though they played a crucial role in the success of both wars. There were struggles for equality, even when men and women worked balanced hours. When each of the war occurred, women were heroes at home and in the work force. When World War I began in 1914, the men were summoned to fight, and to leave their families. Just as the men were pulled out of their jobs, women were eased into them. Some people struggled with the idea of women doing “men’s work.” Women were not held to the same level as men and were thought of as unequal. The government viewed women as a hazard and described them as having “lesser strength and

Some Americans thought that a woman joining makes them less feminine, which of course is incorrect. Women, who had been styled to look very feminine, were soon broadcasted in war effort advertisements (Perkins). Women’s fashion even reflected the look of war times and military stylings combined with feminist touches. Women wore trousers, headgear, large handbags, and red lipstick in their daily apparel. This boosted their confidence and unintentionally brightened the spirits of the men fighting alongside of them (Perkins). Many individual women helped make World War II possible. A French woman by the name of Marie Fourcade assisted the injured pilots get out of danger and into an area that was safer for them (Ellis, Esler 578). Marie had put her own life at risk in order to help the men around her acting as a symbol of courage for all women around the world. Another woman who was an excellent example of courage and strength for women all over the world was Lily Lituak a soviet pilot. She shot twelve German planes to the ground. Then after that she was shot herself (Ellis, Esler