1.) World War II involved 30 different countries and went on for six years, beginning in 1939 and
ending in 1945. Alliances were formed between different groups of countries which brought upon the
Axis powers and the Allies. Germany, Italy, and Japan made up the Axis powers, and France, Great
Britain, the U.S., and Soviet Union made up the Allies. The war killed between 50 and 80 million people
and although the first World War was devastating, the second World War involved more modern
concepts and technologically advanced weapons such as nuclear power and missiles. It began when
Germany invaded Poland and as a result, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. The war
impacted American society in many ways, gender roles shifted when a large number of women started
enlisting in the military. African Americans, although still didn’t have full rights, were joining the military
as well but were still being segregated from whites. World War II marked the end of the Great
Depression, because the war jobs evidently took care of the many Americans that were unemployed.
Around 700,000 African Americans served in armed forces during the war, but discrimination was
still very much alive. They were initially only allowed to serve as messman, which is the responsibility for
feeding and serving officers. The Marines also excluded them at first. Many also believed the African
Americans were not fit for combat. Although President Roosevelt was not a big supporter of African
American rights, he issued the Executive Order 8802 to avoid public protest. This order forbid
discrimination in the employment of workers due to race, color, or nationality. Mexican Americans also
faced discrimination and exclusion challenges. The Zoot Suit Riots in 1943 resulted in civilians and
service men breaking into their homes and physically attacking them and eventually escalated to
assaulting anyone of Mexican descent. They were also restricted to low-paying jobs and it was still
common to see “No Mexicans Allowed” signs. While the war did refine job opportunities for some
Mexican Americans, most still struggled with low-wage employment.
Many women joined the industrial workforce as more jobs became available to them during the
war. Although the percentage of women employed rose after the war started, it did not free them from
sexual harassment on the job and they still got payed less than what men did. It was also more common
for women to enlist in the military. Some served in the Women’s Army Corps, others served in the
navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (WAVES). They also conveyed planes and
supplies in the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. Most of the jobs that women did in the military had
limited duties, however. Female officers were not allowed to command men, and most were prohibited
from combat duty. The increase of employment in women led many mother’s to face balancing work
and taking care of their child, since many father’s were out at war. To provide relief for mother’s, in
1942 the Community Facilities Act was passed, and it brought the first sponsored childcare center.
