MOBILIZING FOR WAR Chapter 14 Section 1 MOBILIZING

MOBILIZING FOR WAR Chapter 14 Section 1

MOBILIZING FOR WAR • CONVERTING THE ECONOMY • MAIN IDEA – The United States quickly mobilized the economy to fight the war.

CONVERTING THE ECONOMY • After attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR was worried that the US Navy and Air Force was not big/strong enough to fight a war on 2 fronts • British Prime Minister Churchill wasn’t worried – Said Modern War depended on nations industrial power – Believed there was no limit to industrial power of the United States

CONVERTING THE ECONOMY • American industrial output was twice as productive as German workers and five times more productive that Japanese workers – War production in US turned tide in favor of the Allies – In less than 4 years US and allies done what no other nation had ever done • Fought and won a 2 front war against two powerful military empires

CONVERTING THE ECONOMY • This rapid growth and increased war production was possible in part because the gov’t had already started mobilizing the economy before war – When German blitzkrieg was in France (1940) FDR claimed a national emergency and announced plan to build 50, 000 warplanes in a year – Also asked Congress for $4 billion to build “Two. Ocean Navy”

CONVERTING THE ECONOMY • American’s agreed because of the shock of German success and wanted to build up countries defenses – October 1940 Congress increased defense budget to more that $17 Billion – Army-Navy Munitions Board began signing contracts with American companies for new aircraft, ships, and equipment

CONVERTING THE ECONOMY • FDR believed gov’t and business had to work together to prepare for war – Created National Defense Advisory Committee – Believed giving industry and incentive to move quickly was best way to quickly mobilize the economy • Instead of having companies bid, gov’t signed “cost -plus” contracts – Agreed to pay companies whatever it cost to make product plus a guaranteed percentage of the costs as profit

CONVERTING THE ECONOMY • Under Cost-Plus, the more that was produced and the faster it was produced the more money the company would make – Wasn’t cheap BUT got war materials produced quickly – Convinced many companies to convert to war production – To get more gave Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) authority to make loans to companies wanting to convert factories to war production

MOBILIZING FOR WAR • AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE • MAIN IDEA – Factories built tanks, airplanes, trucks, and jeeps for military use, as well as safer ships.

AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE • Fall of 1941 much had been done to prepare for war but only partially mobilized – Companies had converted but still preferred to make consumer goods • After Pearl Harbor, the demand for war materials changed everything – Summer 1942 almost all major industries (200, 000 companies) had converted to war production

AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE • Tanks Replace Cars – Auto industry was uniquely suited to mass production of military equipment – Auto factories began making trucks, jeeps and tanks – Mass producing these important in modern warfare • Country that could move troops and supplies most quickly usually won the battle – Auto factories also built artillery, rifles, mines, helmets, pontoon bridges and dozen of other military equipment – Ford even created assembly line for B-24 bomber – Produced nearly one-third of all military equipment manufactured during the war

AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE • Building the Liberty Ships – Henry Kaiser’s shipyards matched Ford’s aircraft production – Kaiser started in construction but when World War II started moved to ship building – German Submarines sinking American ships at a very fast rate so US had to build cargo ships as quickly as possible – Kaiser shipbuilding • Speed more important than quality and cost less important than results • Built ships differently than before, prefabricated ship parts and brought to shipyard for assembly

AMERICAN INDUSTRY GETS THE JOB DONE – Kaiser’s shipyards built many kinds of ships but most famous for Liberty Ships • Basic cargo ship used during the war • Were welded instead of riveted (tended to crack but were preferred cargo ships) – War began took 244 days to build first liberty ship – After Kaiser shipyards applied mass production, took average 41 days – Kaiser built 30% of all American ships

AMERICAN INDUSTY GETS THE JOB DONE • The War Production Board – Business leaders became frustrated with mobilization process – Gov’t agencies argued about supplies, contracts and whose orders had the highest priority – FDR tried to improve process by creating “War Production Board” (WPB) • Set priorities and production goals to control the distribution of raw materials and supplies – WPB clashed with military… still signed contracts without consulting WPB – 1943 FDR created “Office of War Mobilization”(OWM) to settle arguments between agencies

MOBILIZING FOR WAR • BUILDING AN ARMY • MAIN IDEA – Minorities and women played an important role in the United states armed forces during World War II

BUILDING AN ARMY • Creating an Army – Within days of Germany’s attack on Poland in 1939 FDR expanded Army to 227, 000 soldiers – Before spring of 1940 most people opposed peacetime draft but when France surrendered opinions changed – June 1940 2 members of Congress introduced Selective Service and Training Act – first peacetime draft in US history – Act Passed in September by a wide margin

BUILDING AN ARMY • You’re in the Army Now – More than 60, 000 men enlisted in the months after Pearl Harbor • First overwhelmed training facilities (slept in tents) • Didn’t have equipment (sticks for guns and stones for grenades) – New recruits went to reception centers for physicals, injections against disease, given aptitude test and given uniforms and boots with label GI (Gov’t issued) • How American soldiers got called GIs – After test, went to basic training for 8 weeks to train and break down barriers in order to work together and create “brotherhood”

BUILDING AN ARMY • A Segregated Army – At the start of war, US army was segregated (black soldier did not train with white soldiers) • Had separate barracks, latrines, recreational facilities – After training, African American’s were even organized into own units BUT commanded by white officers – Most commanders did not want African Americans in combat and assigned them to construction and supply units – Due to this some African Americans didn’t want to join Army claiming to be “disenfranchised” • But majority supported and wanted to support war

BUILDING AN ARMY • Pushing for the “Double V” – 1941 African American’s combined patriotism and protest – Wanted African Americans to join the war effort – African American newspaper in Pittsburgh launched “Double V campaign” • Urged to support the war and achieve double victory in racism abroad (Hitler) and in the US

BUILDING AN ARMY • African Americans in Combat – Under pressure African American leaders, FDR ordered army, air force, navy and marines to recruit African Americans and put them in combat • Also promoted Colonel Benjamin Davis to rank of brigadier general – 1941 Air Force created the first African American unit (99 th Pursuit Squadron) • Trained in Tuskegee so became known as “Tuskegee Airmen” – 1943 sent squadron into battle and won the battle of Anzio in Italy – Late 1943 Davis commanded 3 other African American units (32 nd Fighter Group) • Did over 200 missions and didn’t lose a soldier to enemy aircraft

BUILDING AN ARMY • African Americans did well in the Army too – All African American Tank Battalion was commended for service in Battle of the Bulge – Didn’t end all segregation in World War 2 but • Integrate military bases in 1943 • Expanded role of African Americans within armed forces – Fully integrated Military in 1948 (under Truman)

BUILDING AN ARMY • Other Minorities in the Military – Japanese Americans were NOT allowed to serve in military at first – As war progressed, second-generation Japanese Americans were allowed to serve (100 th Infantry Battalion and 442 Regimental Combat team) • Almost half of these had been in internment camps • Became most decorated Units in US History – Many Mexican Americans served on front lines (joined National Guard in 1930 s) – Most minorities however were allowed only in noncombat positions • Native American’s were exception to that policy • 1/3 of all healthy Native American men served during the war

BUILDING AN ARMY • Women Join the Armed Forces – Army enlisted women for first time but were barred from combat • Women in administrative jobs freed men for combat – Congress first allowed women in military in May 1942 when created Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) • “Oveta Culp Hobby” was appointed first director – A year later Army replaced with “Women’s Army Corps” (WAC) and director Hobby promoted to Colonel – 1940 Women pilots argued that they could join the war effort and deliver planes • 1942 started training and created Women Air force Service Pilots (WASPs) • 300 women pilots made more than 12, 000 deliveries of 77 different kinds of planes – Other military units followed army inclusion of women and over 68, 000 women served as nurses

REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. What government policies helped American Industry to produce large quantities of war materials? 2. What military need led to the production of Liberty Ships? 3. How did the status of women and African Americans in the armed forces change during the war?