US History

The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)

Women

This collection uses primary sources to explore women&#39;s work on the home front during World War II.

Teaching Guide: Exploring Women on the Home Front During World War II

A cartoon by Paul S. Snyder about a mechanic’s practical joke, circa 1942-43: “Ooops! A lady mechanic – I thought it was Sergeant McGinty!”

A 1943 advertisement in Saint Paul, Minnesota, for job openings for female streetcar drivers.

An interview with Pearl James Hill, an ammunition worker and ship welder during World War II.

Excerpt from a pamphlet called *Women Come to the Front: Journalists, Photographers, and Broadcasters During World War II*. 

A newsreel of the US preparing more paratroops for battle in World War II, 1944.

Letters from Beth Puckett to Lewis Puckett, 1945.

A 1943 photograph of women sitting at a stand in Greensboro, North Carolina selling war bonds and stamps to support the war effort.

A poster highlighting women working in the war industry during World War II, circa 1941-45.

A photograph of a group of women during the 1940s in North Carolina contributing to the war effort by knitting and sewing.

A photograph of two Japanese internee women working with produce in the packing shed at the Tule Lake Relocation Center.

A photo of African American women repairing and conserving clothing for the war effort.

A photograph of a woman working in the naval shipyard in Brunswick, Georgia, 1943.

Resources

1. [Georgia's Home Front: World War II: Women’s Involvement](http://dp.la/exhibitions/exhibits/show/home-front-world-war-ii/women-involvement), Digital Public Library of America.

2. [American Aviatrixes: Women with Wings: Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs)](http://dp.la/exhibitions/exhibits/show/american-aviatrixes/women-air-force-service-pilots), Digital Public Library of America. 

3. [Women Who Served: The Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS/WASP)](http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/a_people_at_war/women_who_served/wafs_wasp.html), The National Archives and Records Administration. 

4. [Women In WWII at a Glance](http://www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education/for-students/ww2-history/at-a-glance/women-in-ww2.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/), The National WWII Museum. 

5. [Partners in Winning the War: American Women in World War II](https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/partners/exhibitentrance.html), The National Women’s History Museum. 

6. [Beyond Rosie the Riveter: Women's Contributions During World War II](https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/world-war-ii/resources/beyond-rosie-riveter-womens-contributions-during-world-war-ii), The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. 

Overview

Women entered the workforce in large numbers during World War II, replacing men who had joined the armed forces. Symbolized by “Rosie the Riveter,” these women significantly changed the place of women in labor and in society. From driving street cars to selling war bonds to working in defense industries, women played an important role in helping the country prepare for and win the war. Through this set, readers will learn about the opportunities and experiences of women laborers on the home front during the war.

English

World War II: Women on the Home Front

world-war-two-women-homefront_11_1a171bfde0509ce4d32fd415b179b9d4.jpg

“Jersey City Quartermaster Repair Sub-Depot; Negro women play an important part in the conservation activities of the Quartermaster Corps,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/1a171bfde0509ce4d32fd415b179b9d4.

A photo of African American women repairing and conserving clothing for the war effort.

Cite this item

Tips for Students

Item 11 of 12 in the Primary Source Set World War II: Women on the Home Front