The Change of American Women's Status during World War 2

The Change of American Women's Status during WWII Name Institutional Affiliation The Change of American Women's Status during WWII Introduction The entry of the United States into the Second World War had a significant impact on social and economic status of women. Before the WWII, American women had occupied the least status in society. They had been considered stay-at-home mothers while their husbands participated in matters affecting the economy. The entry of the U.S into the war implied demand for military weapons and garments from the American factories. Since most men had been mobilized to take arms and represent the country in war, women had to work in factories to supply labor and produce garments and weapons for men in war. I argue that WWII created employment opportunities for women which later propelled them towards economic independence in society. Employment Rate of Women during WWII Women have always contributed to the social, political, and economic welfare of the United States, but never in history has this role been impactful compared to the WWII. Before the WWII, men had negative attitudes towards women, believing that women had to quit employment to reserve positions for unemployed men. Nevertheless, the onset of the WWII tremendously impacted employment patterns. Gildons and Ollivetti (2013) explain that various norms loosened during the WW2. The number of employed women rose by seven million between 1940 and 1945 due to mobilization efforts by states and the national government. The war opened doors for women to take up jobs that had been traditionally reserved for men. Employers played a significant role in shaping the attitude of women towards work. The government was concerned about winning the war, creating a significant demand for manpower in industries. Women that proved efficient were promoted to higher ranks to work as supervisors. In the agricultural sector, the war created a shortage of labor supply. The need to fill gaps left by men mad it possible for women to transcend traditional barriers. When factories and industries realized shortage of labor and skills, they introduced what Gildons and Ollivetti (2013) refer to as selective trainings. Industries started training women on relevant skills such as working in factories for production of ammunitions, operating fire engines, and working in evacuation sites as nurses. Trainings happened inside the plants or outside the plants with goal of equipping women with on-job skills. While some women were driven by the spirit of patriotism to work in factories and help prevent the fall of the allied powers, some women also took up the responsibility of fending for families to work in the battlefields. Jaworski (2014) explains that WW2 halted the educational requirements and graduation rates from universities, leading to a change in the employment requirements. Women’s education had been limited during pre-war years, making it impossible for them to acquire quality employment opportunities. Women that had acquired selective trainings used it as a tradeoff for schooling, leading to their increase in the employment sectors during the war. Even though there was uneven change in the employment rates for women, Gildons and Ollivetti (2013) explain that betwee...