The Home Front

1
The Home Front

• Chapter 17 Section 4

2
Opportunity and Adjustment

• After the war, the U.S. emerged as the worlds
  dominant economic and military power.
• Many women enjoyed having a job during WWII,
  however many of them lost it after the war
• In addition to having a job, during WWII many
  women showed their power and their equality to
  men by having certain jobs that were
  traditionally held by men (e.g. journalism)

3

• Between the years of 1940-1950, there was a
  dramatic population shift
• Many families that once lived in the south now
  were moving out to the West Coast, Mountains,
  Midwest, Middle Atlantic, and New England
  areabut why?

4
Social Adjustments

• During the time of war, there were many single
  mothers.
• After the war many people rushed to get married
  and the baby boom began. Those babies are
  currently in their 60s.
• In 1944, Congress passed the Servicemens
  Readjustment Act (a.k.a G.I. Bill of Rights)
• This bill provided education and training for war
  veterans (the government paid for colleges and
  technical schools)
• About 7.8 million veterans attended education and
  training under this bill

5
Discrimination and Reaction

• Although new doors were opening for everyone,
  racism and prejudice continued during this time
  era
• African Americans were the group that faced
  prejudice the most
• As a result of that, James Farmer created a
  interracial org. named the Congress of Racial
  Equality (CORE) to combat such discriminations
  happening against the minorities

6
Tension in Los Angeles

• Many Mexican Americans also experienced prejudice
  during and after WWII.
• In the summer of 1943, The Zoot-Suit Riots
  erupted.
• The riot occurred when 11 sailors claimed that
  they were attacked by zoot-suit wearing Mexican
  Americans.
• Many Mexican-Americans believed that their
  sacrifices during the war would lead them to a
  better future.

7
Internment of Japanese Americans

• After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, many
  Americans believed the rumors that Japanese
  Americans would do harmful things to the U.S.
• In 1942, the War Department called a total
  evacuation of all Japanese Americans.
• They were then put into Japanese internment
  camps.
• FDR believed it was a step necessary for national
  security. (sound familiar?)

8

• These camps were located in many parts of the US
  California (Tule Lake, Manzanar), Idaho
  (Minidoka), Utah (Topaz), Arizona (Poston, Gila
  River), Colorado (Granada), Wyoming (Heart
  Mountain), and Arkansas (Rohwer and Jerome)
  (a.k.a. relocation centers)
• Many Japanese felt that this was a direct
  violation of their rights.
• Famous court case Korematsu v. U.S. (argued on
  the idea that no person shall.be deprived life,
  liberty, or property, without due process of law
  5th Amendment) however it was okay because of
  military necessity.
• This was definitely a direct violation of that
  and after the war a group called the Japanese
  American Citizens League (JACL) helpeed to get
  compensation and lost property.

9

• After a long battle, in 1988 Ronald Reagan signed
  a bill that promised 20,000 to every Japanese
  American that was sent to a relocation camp
• In 1990, when the checks were sent out, President
  George Bush Sr. wrote a letter of apology about
  the situation.