World war II
World War II began in September of 1939 and ended with the Potsdam Conference in July and August of 1945. After World War I had dismantled the political system of Germany, Adolf Hitler rose to power with his Nationalist Socialist, or Nazi, Party. Germans were unhappy from the Versailles Treaty that ended World War I where Germany took the brunt of punishments even though they were not the only country on the losing side. Quickly, Hitler’s ideas influenced the people. Germany invaded Poland in 1939, which prompted a quick response from Great Britain and France. War began, with the countries taking two different sides. The Axis Powers consisted of Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the Allied Powers were Great Britain, France, Soviet Union, and eventually, the United States. This war would prove devastating on all fronts. It is believed that 45-60 million people were killed by this war, including the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust, the implementation of Hitler’s “Final Solution” for a “greater race” (World War II History).
The United States joined World War II when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese forces in December 1941. Before joining, the United States wanted to remain out of the war, especially after World War I. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor essentially angered Americans enough to want to get involved. Joining the Allied Powers and choosing to fight would change American society abundantly. With men going off to fight in the war, women moved out of their roles as housewives and aided the war effort by working in factories, creating victory gardens, and supporting a “total war” mentality. In total war, everything a country does, whether it be economic, political, or societal decisions is done with the mindset of aiding the Americans at war and supporting the troops. “As millions of men and women entered the service and production boomed, unemployment virtually disappeared. The need for labor opened up new opportunities for women and African Americans and other minorities” (National WWII Museum). This shift in labor force would change the way Americans treated and viewed women and other minorities in the workforce in the remaining century.
Additional Sources:
History.com Staff (2009). World War II History. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history.
The National World War II Museum Staff (2017). Take a Closer Look: America Goes to War. Retrieved from https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-resources/research-starters/america-goes-war-take-closer-look.