WASPs: Women Airforce Service Pilots

W.A.S.P.s  were the women pilots during WWII and played a key roll in establishing the United States as a major threat against Hitler's acquisition of Europe. The roll for women in the Airforce emerged when there was a lack of skilled male pilots to take the newly produced aircraft into battle. Most male pilots were overseas fighting, thus there was a need for skilled flyers. To make use of the new aircrafts, the United States government launched a program to train female flyers. The sad part about this story is that female flyers received no honor for flying for their country, and had nothing that commemorated their efforts in the war. Of course it was revolutionary, and in fact there were few female pilots in service during WWII (if not none.) Nevertheless, women continued to get the short end of the bargain, and as the war in Europe concluded, they were no longer needed and their inspiring story came to an end.

My List is the Best List

Here is my list of WWII movies worth a watch:

The Great Escape: a movie on prisoners of war and their quest to escape a P.O.W. camp in Germany.

The Great Raid: a movie on prisoners of war and their quest to escape a P.O.W. camp in the Philippines. 

U-571: a film on submarine crews and their role in the war.

Hitler's Bodyguard: a series on the military channel illustrating the illustrious organization that was Hitler's Bodyguard.

The War: a miniseries on PBS, which contains real footage and photographs from the war

Women Needed

During World War I women did not have much involvement in the war, when it came to fighting. The women were forced to stay at home while the men went out and fought for their country. The immense number of men going out to join the army left a very high number of jobs at home undone. Since most men were gone the women were given the opportunity to fill in for the men. This gave them more power and rights. However, most of this control was stripped back away from the women once the war was over and the men returned. The only involvement the women had directly to the war was serving as nurses, working in munitions factories, sowing clothes and other similar jobs, but the women never entered the battlefields.
During World War II women had a more involvement in the battlefields. After the bombing of Pearl harbor people began to abandon some of the weak feminine views because they knew that more manpower was needed in the war. In 1942, the women’s Auxiliary Army Corps was established in a bill. This allowed women to go to combat in some areas of the military. Slowly new groups were made so that the women could have some involvement in the war. Like a new section in the Navy. However, they were still discriminated in lack of military benefits that most men received. It wasn’t until 1943 that the women gained full military status with the same benefits.
Comparing the role of women in each of these wars is very interesting because we see the evolution of women’s rights in this short span of time. In both cases the women were a crucial part to the war, but it is quite clear that during World War II they had more rights and power. However, we must notice that the women gained most of these rights because the countries knew that they need the women fighting and would probably not have received these rights if they weren’t needed.

The Riveter

World War II was fought on the battlefield by men as we know but at the same time we have learned that there is so much to a war than what you see on the beaches. When a hefty majority of the young men, a lot of the workiong population leave to go off fighting, in both world wars the women stepped right in to their position and took over the job of running the homefront. Now Rosie The Riveter was a propaganda poster designed to encourage more Americans to help the War effort and who knows how the war would have turned out without this inspirational photograph.

Pop Cluture 1940's

Enemy at the Gate- Russian WWII movie
Saving Private Ryan
BAND OF BROTHERS
The Diary of Anne Frank
Mein Kampf
The Sound of Music

World War II media

Books:
The Book Theif: about a young girl in Germany while the Nazis are in control
A Separate Peace: which we all know
The Sunflower: which we all know
The Upstairs Room: During the Holocaust somebody is hiding a group of Jews upstairs

Movies:
Atonement: to children are separated during the war. A love story where the boy is sent to war.

Role of women in WWII

Like in WWI, women helped out by assuming men's jobs. Women would work in the factories. Stalin labeled WWII as a battle of machines. The soviet union produced a lot! They produced 78,000 tanks and 98,000 artillery pieces. In the soviet union, the women worked in factories, railroads, and mines. The number of women working in industry increased by 60%. The soviet Union used women so much, that they were the only country to use women as soldiers in the war. 

The United States also used women in the war effort on the home front. However, the big difference with the United States home front and those of other places like Soviet Union, is that the United States didn't have a threat on their own territory. At the peek of the war in 1943, the United States were producing 6 ships a day. Women worked in the factories. 

In Japan, women were to serve for the greater good. Women were to have more children. General Hideki Tojo was against using women in the war. He said, "the weakening of the family system would be the weakening of the nation.... We are able to do our duties only because we have wives and mothers at home." Women worked more in places like farming and factories. The japanese government used chinese and koreans to meet the demand of workers, not their own women.

WWII things

sound of music- nazis

saving private ryan

sunflower- nazis

Maus

Rosie the Riveter

Throughout the two World Wars, the role of women has essentially stayed the same, except for the increased role of women in WWII.  Their involvement in the wars changed the social status and working lives of women around the world.  The service of women as "home front regulators" was crucial to allied success in both wars.  In World War II, women became iconic symbols of hardwork; Rosie the Riveter is a classic example.  The propaganda created by female workers inspired all citizens of the US to partake in the war effort.  Women have played key roles in both World Wars, and in doing so, have helped their respective nations.  Their work in wars also contributed to the great female suffrage acts during the early part of the twentieth century.  Without them, who knows what would have happened during war, both on the battle front and home front. 

WWII Movies

Saving Private Ryan- Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Vin Diesel.  A timeless classic, full of action and drama

Valkyrie- Tom Cruise, story of Claus von Stauffenburg and his plan to assassinate Hitler

Defiance- Daniel Craig, story of Eastern European Jews who survive in the Nazi occupied Belarussian forests during World War II

Band of Brothers- 10 episode Mini Series, following the missions of Easy Company, from the US Army 101st Airborne division, in WWII Europe.

Flags of Our Fathers- Clint Eastwood, chronicling the Battle of Iwo Jima from the American perspective

Letters from Iwo Jima- Clint Eastwood, chronicling the Battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective

Women of the World Wars Worked

In general, the roles of women were the same in both World War I and World War II. Many went off to work so as to fill in spots vacated by men, while some remained at home and took care of the family.

Women in both World Wars served mainly in factories, where large numbers of men had previously worked. They also took on such jobs as nursing and care.

In World War II however, women took on an even larger variety of jobs that were originally "men-only". Some, especially in the Soviet Union, joined front-line-combat divisions of the military, while others did skilled labor in the factories (as opposed to being barred from operating the more complex machinery).

In summary, the role of women in World War II was similar in that women took jobs to replace the men, and that some left once the men (who survived...) returned. However, their roles between World War I and II differ in that women in World War II had a much larger variety of jobs and were allowed to take on the more traditionally male jobs. This led eventually to women's suffrage.

Total war is just as the name suggests. It is a war that totally involves the nation (that sentence sounded very "surfer-brah"-like. Ugh.) and relies on everyone to help support the war efforts. Total war's pull was powerful enough to break down the previously male-dominated structure of society- if only temporarily.

Rosie the Riveter

The role of women in both WWI and WWII are fundamentally the same. However, the role of women in WWII has more significance to modern America, which can be attributed to such figures as Rosie the Riveter. Ultimately, Rosie was an icon that sparked awareness of female roles in the war throughout America. At this point in history (especially during total war), it was expected that women partake in the highly critical and valiantly patriotic war industry. Yet we see that as female roles increased, they were able to form their own sub-category of prominence in the war and American society; something we certainly did not see during or after WWI. It is even fair to say that WWII jump started the female role in working American society, an issue that became prevalent after women realized their value and potential in the work force. And for the first time in American History, women were portrayed through propaganda and nationalism as symbols of patriotism and dedication through work. Although these working contributions seemed to be an afterthought following WWII, it was enough to upstart a civil movement.

Rosie the Riveter

Although the image of Rosie the Riveter has gained international fame for symbolizing the beginning of the introduction of women to the workplace, this, in fact, was not a novelty at the time. Back in World War I, millions of women served as nurses, worked in munitions factories, or even sewed clothes for soldiers.

During World War II, women filled the same jobs as in World War I, but also a few new ones, due to the time, and progress in women's rights, that took place in between the wars. For example, women were even allowed to fight in World War II in special battalions. To me, that can be considered a point in history when they truly acquired the social status of women. Also, because the USA was much more involved in WWII than WWI, by the middle of WWII, it was said that 89% of all jobs were open and accessible to women, whereas at the beginning of the war, only 25% of all jobs were accessible to them.

Not only is this statistic interesting, but its circumstances are. Only when we, as a country, are faced with a common enemy (in WWII, Germany) do we allow gender equality in the workplace out of convenience. Later on, when international troubles are gone, and we're back to dealing with domestic issues, women are discouraged from working in factories. This says that total war really affects the home front to a point that all social norms are momentarily forgotten: total war can effectively change a nation.

Clearly, then, during WWII, great progress was made in terms of women's independence and rights in the workplace. This was spurred on by popular images such as that of Rosie the Riveter that encouraged - and normalized - women working in such places that were traditionally considered manly as factories.

Movies/Books: WWII

Books:

The Book Thief- story about a young girl in Germany amidst Nazi regime and british air raids in Munich

Movies:

Atonement: Love story about a couple in England ripped apart by a lie and ultimately the War

Pearl Harbor: Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck deliver stud performances set in Hawaii during the very attack on Pearl Harbor. They also take part in a secret retaliation mission

Band Of Brothers: HBO miniseries about Easy Company and their incredible heroism throughout WWII

The Pianist: Adrian Brody plays a polish piano player who escapes Jewish extermination and struggles to survive during Nazi reign

Downfall: A German film about Hitler's final days lodged underground in Berlin. A profound piece of analysis upon the Fuhrer as he faced imminent defeat.

Life is Beautiful: Story of an Italian Jew who shields his young son from the atrocities of the Holocaust by playing a game to distract him.

Saving Private Ryan: Tom Hanks leads a mission to retrieve and discharge a young man from the war in order to spare his mother the grief of losing 4 sons

The Thin red Line: Movie detailing the war in the pacific, as marines fight the Japanese

The Longest Day: Old movie centering around a platoon during the assault on D-Day

Woman in World War I and II

During World War I, women did not have a huge place in their country's involvement in the war. Women did have many contributing factors on the war, but society limited their involvement. They were not part of the military but instead worked as nurses. They also filled in many jobs left open at home, as the men went to war. The amount of physical labour that women did increased, but these jobs proved to be temporary. In 1917 they were authorized to be in the Navy, but they couldn't advance in the field as much as men.

At the beginning of World War II, the same mindset of women being too feminine to participate in the military. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, this mindset began to deteriorate as more and more manpower was needed. IN 1942, the WAAC bill passed allowing the establishment of Women's Auxiliary Army Corps. The WAAC could cover parts of the military allowing men to go to combat. Shortly after the Navy passed acts creating different sects of the Navy attributed to women. The lack of manpower forced people to let go of their reserves concerning women to participating in the military. Yet, women still didn't get paid as much or have the full military benefits as men. In 1943, The WAAC or the new version of the Women's Army Corps, was passed and gained women full military status. 

Between the two wars, the involvement of women was greatly increased. Even though initially it was because of a lack of manpower, woman became a vital part of the military forces. The involvement of women unified the US even more and helped every effort of winning the war. Woman were a crucial part of every country during both wars from the home front to the military.

World War II in Popular Culture

In the past few years, I have seen many a movie set in the battlefields of World War II. Most, if not all of them, were quite good from a historical, videographical, or other point of view.

A few of movies that have made an impression on me are as follows:

Saving Private Ryan (1998): Saving Private Ryan has a relatively straightforward plot, but is well-written, well-filmed, and powerfully acted. To put it simply, a specially-formed group of Rangers is assigned to rescue a Private (James Ryan) from behind enemy lines in Normandy. Awesomeness ensues.

Flags of Our Fathers (2006): Flags of Our Fathers follows the behind-the-scenes political action behind the soldiers who raised the American flag on Mt. Suribachi on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima (this is a famous picture, you should probably have seen it before). It questions propaganda and the twisting of truth for the purposes of converting the public to the government's side. Philosophically interesting, but not nearly as exciting to watch as the other movies that are listed here.

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006): Perhaps one of the most touching and unique WWII movies I have seen, Letters from Iwo Jima follows the action of the American landing and assault of the Japanese-held island of Iwo Jima, but from the Japanese persective. It allows the viewers a peek into the thoughts and feelings of the soldiers of the Japanese army, painting them as people and not the crazy kamikaze-bombers and suicide-committers that they are often oversimplified as. If you have the time, you should watch this movie above all of the other movies that are listed here- it's just that beautiful.

Valkyrie (2008): This movie is yet another one about an alternative perspective of World War II- specifically that of a group of German soldiers who attempted to assassinate Hitler, take over the German government, and surrender to the Allies to avoid further destruction. It is very action-packed, and (I would say) it has more of a focus on the action than on making any subtle philosophical point. But it's awesome. Very awesome.

All of these are worth watching (although I'm not so much a fan of Flags of Our Fathers, but it's still good stuff).

Books Set in WWII

Here's a list of books (all of which I recommend) that I read, and that deal with WWII:

- Night, by Elie Wiesel

- I Have Lived A Thousand Years, by Ellen Bitten-Jackson

- The Journal of Ben Uchida, Citizen 33541, Mirror Lake Camp

- Torn Thread (Holocaust story)

- Maus

- The Sunflower

- My Name was Keoko (not really set in WWII; but rather in Korea during the Japanese occupation)

- Many AVI novels that I have either lost or thrown away or sold

- Horrible Histories, Woeful World War II (graphic novel that describes different events in history)

- A Seperate Peace

A few movies:

- The Sound of Music

- La Grande Vadrouille (an interesting French movie about smuggling Jewish people out of occupied France)

- The Pianist

World War Two Media

After conducting an exhausting and scrupulous examination of the books and movies I have read and seen in the last five years, tho only relevant one I could find was "The Counterfeiters", a German film (originally titled "Die Fälscher") about a counterfeiting scheme run by the Nazis, which remains the largest in history. It is an excellent movie unless you feel like laughing or singing along, because there's none of that.

Others that I remembered after scanning previous blogs:
The Sunflower
A Separate Peace
"The Sound of Music"
Maus

"Das Boot"

Article found about Taliban in Afghanistan

With the violence in Afghanistan to reported to be the highest that it has been since 2001 when the United States invaded Afghanistan, the United States can get all of the help they can get. The New York Times reports that Pakistani military have supported the Taliban. If the report is correct, it would pose a huge problem for the United States because Pakistan was supposed to be be helping the US. Although the Pakistani leaders say that there isn't any support coming from the people higher up in the government, they believe that there may be some support from people in the middle. The support is claimed to only be there to help build strong relationships with the Taliban so that when the United States eventually leaves Afghanistan, there will be a relationship between the Taliban and Pakistan.

Movies and Books about World War II

Movies:

Valkyrie- Tells of the plots that Germans from the inside attempted to execute to kill Hitler

The Reader- Love story about an older woman and a teenage boy in Germany. The woman ends up being put on trial for mistreatment of Jews while she was a guard at concentration camps.

A League of Their Own- Story of women taking over Major League Baseball while all the men were at war.

Atonement- Love story about two childhood friends in England who are separated and the boy is forced to fight in the war.

The Sound of Music- A family grows up in Austria during the war.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- A man grows from older to younger and is forced to spend part of his life fighting in the war.

South Pacific (musical)- Musical about soldiers deployed to the South Pacific during the war.

Books:

Atonement

The Sunflower

The Diary of Anne Frank

World War I+II Role of Women

The role of women changed greatly from World War I to World War II. During War World II a group called the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) was created in 1941-1942 by a group or women pilots that had the desire to help out during the war. They fought for their spot in the war and soon enough they were allowed to participate in it as well. The WASPs relieved men pilots for combat duty, while they helped with the other flight-related programs.

During World War I, women were not allowed to participate in the war rather than on the home front. Women did, however, receive more rights when they started working on factories, replacing a lot of the jobs that men occupied before. Nevertheless, once the men returned from the war, women were stripped of some rights due to the jobs going back to the men who were away fighting.

Throughout World War II, women gained more respect and rights. Women were now thought of as almost equal in the things that they were able to do. This included serving the military and helping out with militaristic type missions or jobs.This change happened because the United States wanted to play a bigger role than they had in World War I. They wanted to deliver even more troops and machinery to fight there enemy. To do this, the U.S. needed all the help they could get and this included recruiting some women.

Women in War

The role of women changed greatly from world war one to the second. In 1914, women were not a part of the war, although they participated at the home front. When the men all went off to fight the wars in Europe, women were left to take their place in a factories and other local occupations. Their jobs were temporary and not directly on the battle field, but the labor force of women certainly increased during WWI. Army and Navy nurse corps had been established in earlier years and that was the biggest area of female participation. Not until after the bombing of Pearl Harbor was the potential value of women recognized and the WAAC (women auxiliary army corps) considered. People were hesitant to women becoming more active due to society's view of their role in the home and the masculinity/strength it took to fight. The demand for more people in the military defeated the resistance. At first, when women went oversea, performing Army jobs, they didn't have benefits equal to those "members" of the Army. WAAC volunteers got unequal pay, experienced a lack of military rank, and knew that the women in the NAVY had much more privilege. Women achieved full military status in 1943, with the passing of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) Bill. 

WWI was when women could fulfill more jobs in the home front and temporarily take on the place of men in society. During WWII, women didn't just take open jobs, but created a whole new work force; women fighting in the army. They paved a new path of women's rights and equality. 

[I used this website.]

First a Job, Now a Uniform and Gun!

Just from looking at what a single paragraph about the WACs as well as finding out what it stands for can tell you how there was a change in the role of women from WWI to WWII.  Members of the WACs or Women's Army Corps not only helped build ammo and guns but some (over 150,00) even fought in the war.  Although this was not thought of as "the best thing since sliced bread" and there was some difficulty in accepting women in the war, in the end it seemed as if the sheer increase/number of people fighting in the war was enough for them to accept it.  This tells us that this was such a big war that just getting more people into it, no matter who those people were was a very important thing.

WWI:  Was the revolution for more women getting jobs during the war.  Holding down the fort almost, and making supplies to send off.  People accepted this but they still thought that it was a temporary basis and when the war was over, the most men took their jobs back.

WWII:  Was the revolution for women fighting in the war.  As the women held down the morale back home, here they kept morale up by fighting in the war, receiving many thousands of letters (65,000 per shift).  They were good fighters as well as 657 WACs received metals and citations.  

Source: http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/wac/wac.htm

Other blogs talking about the WACs or the WAACs:  Molly Eliza Priyanka Rebecca

Movies+Books about WWII

Books I've Read:

A Separate Peace- The story about two friends named Gene and Finny and their troubles when World War II influences their lives.

Movies I've Watched:

Saving Private Ryan-A movie about a group of soldiers during the invasion of Normandy, France in 1944.

Pearl Harbor- A movie set during World War II. Two friends become involved in the war and get separated. Pearl Harbor happens and shakes America.

Modern (sort of) Media of/about WWII

Although off of the top of my head I couldn't think of very many movies that I had watched or books that I had read that took placer during WWII, I saw one that was already posted and that seemed to spark my memory about the subject:

Sound of Music:  Musical based during WWII about a nun who goes to help an Austrian family and ends up falling in love with the captain.  In it are huge references to the affects of the Hitler Youth, and of Nazi control, both in their flag and in the way they try to force the captain into a position in their army.

A Separate Peace: (Yes I know that most of us, if not all read it.)  Takes place in a boys military training/boarding school about the events that happen between Gene Forrester and Phineas at Devon school.

The Pianist: Just recently I watched part of this movie and it was a lot to handle.  There were some pretty stunning scenes in it and although I didn't see the entire thing, one part in particular, when the Nazis throw a person in a wheelchair because he/she can't stand up, is pretty gruesome, along with some of the other things that the Nazis make the Jewish people do.  You can also see the growth of power, similar to Maus, as the control that the Nazis have grows more and more.

Changing Views in Turbulent Times

From WWI to WWII, there was a vast shift in the role and view of women in US society. During WWI, women were encouraged to work in factories to fill the jobs of the men that had gone to war and ensure that the country still had the supplies it needed. This was a new role for women at the time, since before they were expected to stay home and raise their family, but it was never even thought of that the women could fight in the war as well. As one can see from the propaganda poster to the right, only men were expected to enlist, and women simply couldn't. But during WWII, this all changed. Many different organizations arose encouraging women to enlist in an armed service to support their country. One of these organizations was the WAC, or the Women's Army Corps. These women were the first to partake in the army as anything other than nurses. Over 150,000 women served in this division of the army. While at first, there were many negative views about this organization, but it was a necessity, and the women worked well. They were reported as being hard working and better disciplined than the male soldiers. But, they were never sent to forefront of the battles, and they often took over safer, more routine jobs to allow more men to fight in the war. Their uniforms were also not very practical, and they were required to carry make-up bags at all times. So even though they still weren't equal to men in terms of military standards, it was definitely a new role for them. The poster to the left exemplifies this by providing a stark contrast to the poster from WWI. They are not showing a picture of a woman wishing to fight to convince men to fight; instead they are encouraging women to fight. The faces of the women in the second poster are much more determined and serious that the innocent and joyful face of the woman in the first poster. Women were now being thought of as capable of more than just raising children.

The fact that the role of women in society changed vastly during both WWI and WWII shows that turbulent times lead to the reassessment of long held beliefs. We change our ideals depending on what it necessary at the time. This shows us that total wars and other important events not only affect the home front and the war front, but also the way we think; it causes a shift in intangible things as well as the tangible things. This change was important because it was a big step towards equality for all in the US, even though there was, and still is, a long way to go.

World War II Movies and Literature

Movies:
Saving Private Ryan- Saving Private Ryan tells the story of a squadron of 8 men who have been sent to recover one man whose whereabouts are unknown. It takes place during/just after the battle at Omaha beach, and it depicts not only the events of WWII, but also the families that were broken apart by it.
Pearl Harbor-This movie recounts the events that led to Pearl Harbor and the actions that the US took after it. It gives a lot of incite into the the lives and relationships of soldiers at the time.
The Sound of Music- This movie takes place in Austria just before WWII. It is the story of a family of seven children, their father, and their nanny. The father is a captain of the Austrian navy. Throughout the film, we watch as the children grow up and the father and nanny fall in love, but the power of the Nazis in Austria increases too. In the end, the family is forced to flee since the father refuses to join Hitler's army.
Books:
The Sunflower: The Sunflower is a memoir about a Jewish man who was asked for forgiveness by a dying SS man. The book explores the struggles he had to face in the concentration camps and in figuring out whether to forgive the man or not.

Women's Roles During Times of War

In desperate times there are inevitably going to be temporary changes in how people think. This was evident in WWI, where women were encouraged to do the work usually given to men in order to help the war effort. A similar thing happened in WWII, only to a slightly greater extent. In WWI, women took the jobs vacated by men who left for war; they primarily stayed on the home front. In WWII, gender roles were partially disregarded, and women were allowed to fly. WASP were the Women Airforce Service Pilots. These women recognized the opportunity total war provided them with--a chance to back away from the traditional role of a women (to stay at home and tend to the family) and take advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime chance to follow their passion: flying. In both the cases of WWI and WWII, women's roles were dramatically broadened from their traditional boundaries. Also in both cases, unfortunately, this broadening was temporary, lasting only as long as the war. Women did gain some respect from these instances. They proved that they were capable of "men's work" and this undoubtedly helped to start to get away from the super traditional women-at-home mentality. However, it was still a very long way from upturning gender roles in society.

This is obvious in today's society, where--although women soldiers are much more common--it is thought of largely as a man's job (or in some cases--depending on the propaganda being used--a man's duty). Also, certain jobs haven't lost their traditional gender associations. Secretatries and nurses, for example, are thought of as jobs more common for a woman than a man. And vice versa, men are thought to frequent more physically demanding jobs (firefighters, construction workers, etc.) with women being few and rare in such fields. While women continually prove female stereotypes wrong, gender discrimination still thrives, possibly because large groups of women have never been allowed to hold their higher statuses (or "more difficult" jobs) for long periods of time (as it was with their temporary jobs in WWI and WWII).

WWII in Literature and Film

Films:
Pearl Harbor -- Two friends join the Army Air Corps and experience the horror of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
U-571 -- An American submarine is disguised as German aid in order to capture a highly sophisticated cipher machine that they could use to crack Nazi war codes.
Letters From Iwo Jima -- The story of the battle of Iwo Jima, told from the perspective of the Japanese.
Books:
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli -- The story of a Jewish orphan in Nazi-occupied Warsaw.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak -- A story about a young German girl in Nazi Germany who steals books from the book burnings and ends up befriending a Jewish man hiding in her basement through a shared love of literature.

Letters to Peace Lovers

The Peace Pledge Union (PPU) was an organization that campaigned for pacifism and against military conscription. World War II, the PPU attempted to get people to “boycott” the war. They campaigned publically holding open-air meetings and selling their personal newspaper called “The Peace News”. The PPU gained around 60,000 supporters during the war whom refused to join the army. Their campaign was mostly aimed at women between twenty to thirty years old. During 1939 Vera Brittain, one of the PPU’s most famous members, began writing “Letters to Peace Lovers”. In this newsletter she wrote about her personal views on the war, however she was an outspoken pacifist. Many people spoke out against her because she criticized certain acts of the government, such as bombing civilian areas in Germany. Her newsletter campaigned against military conscription, and for the building of air raid protection in the form of bunkers. Vera also tried to make Europe aware that if Hitler were ever brought down that Germany would be, in a sense, in Civil War. She tried to encourage the other European powers and democracies in the world to take action to try to prevent or negate this inevitable event.

Crime and Punishment

During the war there were multiple kinds of crimes that increased because of certain events. During the beginning of the war one of the crimes that increased was the involvement in teenage blackout gangs. This included violence and simple robbery (pick pockets). As the war continued and the London Blitz (air raid on London) happened, looting became a very popular crime as well. It was so popular that many well off men left their jobs because looting was more remunerative. Another crime increase due to the Blitz was fraud. The government started to pay compensation for people that were bombed out of their home and many people took advantage of these and claimed that they had been bombed out even if they hadn’t. Since there were so many people that were in similar situations the government had neither the time nor the people to investigate whether people or not people were lying. But they soon realized that they were paying more money then they should and hired extra staff to put some control to this matter. Another fraud began when the government decided to evacuate children out of the big cities. The billetors (people that took the children in) were given money for the children and many asked for the money without having taken in children or after the children left their home. The final crime big crime that went up dramatically due to the Blitz was murder. Some people took advantage of the bombing to kill people and bury them near a bomb cite to claim that they were killed during the bombing. One other important crime that went up during the war was the use of the black market. Many people traded goods in violation of the official regulations for survival or profit and it was a lot easier because the government was focused on other things. The final crime that went up was the breaking into the Home Guard. Raids on Home Guard increased tremendously because people (mostly teenagers) wanted guns and ammunition for themselves and to sell. In many of these cases the government increased their staff (which would cost money) to control many of these crimes and I believe that it was the one of the only ways they could have dealt with this. Another method would have to increase the punishment, so that people could fear it more and not commit the crime. However, overall I think the government did the best they could under the circumstances. I think their focus during the war was elsewhere and giving too much attention to these matters could have caused dramatic differences in the war results.

WWII Movies/Books

1. "Saving Private Ryan" is a movie that is based on D-day

2. "Maus" is a book about the life of a Jewish Holocaust survivor

3. "Death to Smoochie" is a movie about a tv actor who is brought down by being set up to perform at a Nazi rally.

4. "Cabaret" is a movie about the Nazi's rise to power

Rationing

As the second world war started, the British Government imported about 55 million tons of food per year. As Germany grew stronger, it had its battleships and subs sink the vessels bound for Britain with all of their food aboard. The British started the rationing with bacon, butter, and sugar in January of 1940. A more wide spread rationing followed which was very heavily supported by the population. However as time went on this plan started becoming less popular with the people, some grocers went to the country and bought there food directly from the growers. These sort of short cuts or loop holes were becoming more commonplace. Then the government created a natural advisory committee to help the war committee with strategies and suggestions on what to do on the home front. I think that this was an excellent idea because it really helped the people running the country a better idea of what to do and what the side effects may or may not have been. Ration books started being stolen and with the help of undercover cops and spy's the government got a handle on it and soon there after created a law that made the wasting of food a punishable offense. The rationing proved to be a good way for people to eat healthily and at the same time the health of the nation grew ten fold.

http://menlomwh.blogspot.com/2009/03/black-market-and-its-many-wonders.html

Gas Masks

Britain decided to issue gas masks to everyone living in britain, because they feared that poison gas was going to be used on their people. Luckily though, there were never any poisonous gasses used in WWII. Babies were given different gas masks then Adults. In efforts to help detect if their was a gas attack, the tops of mailboxes were painted a special coat of paint to help detect if there were any gasses. The government also created gas identification squads. The squads would consist of chemists, and they were to identify what gas was used if there was an attack. People were instructed  by the government to carry their gas masks everywhere. If there was an air raid attack, people outside were told to put their gas masks on immediately. They were afraid that the Germans were going to drop blister gas or mustard gas. Blister gas cause severe burning of the skin. Mustard gas is similar. There were also decontamination squads formed to help treat victims in a poisonous gas attack. 

We will never really know how effective their system was, because there never was a gas attack.

Desertion in the Armed Forces

During the Second World War, soldiers in the British Army, Navy, and Air Force frequently deserted their respective forces.  This was mostly because of a draft that Parliament created.  In 1939, Parliament passed the Military Training Act, which required men aged 20-21 to undertake six months' of military training.  When WWII broke out, Parliament passed the National Service act, making all men aged 18-41 eligible to be drafted.  There were, however, many ways to get out of this service.  Objection to military service because of moral grounds was used by 22 out of 1000 people.  These men had to stand trial though, and as many as 41% of them were required to serve.  A second way to avoid the draft was to ignore the summons to register for National Service, because there was a shortage of people to enforce attendance.  A third way was to have a man that failed his physical to take it for you in your name.  Finally, buying forged medical discharge certificates was another way to avoid service.  All of these ways came with consequences, however, and if one was found out to have used an illegal method, they were subject to Government punishment.

The Royal Forces also suffered from desertion.  Many soldiers who were drafted unwillingly or learned of their future service abroad simply deserted.  Roughly 36,000 men deserted before and shortly after D-Day, 10,000 of whom were charged.  Many of those who deserted were forced to lead a life of crime because they had no identity cards.  Therefore, looting was often seen after the bombing of cities.

If I was to fix the problem of avoiding conscription, I would using photo id's to verify everyones correct identity, thus solving the problem of fake physicals.  I would also make the discharge cards special in some way, either on the paper they were printed, or in a special color.  Lastly, i would devote more people to enforce attendance to register with the National Service.  I would round up deserters from the armed forces by cracking down on all crime.  I would raid Red Light Districts, Gambling Halls, and other illegal fronts.  I would start arresting immediately too.  Deserters would be subject to penalties as high as 25 years in prison.  Death seems to be too high a price to pay; also Britain is far more civilized than Nazi Germany.  With me in control, there would be no rogues who don't serve

War Economy

During WWII Britain's attempts to strengthen militarily only led to a neglection of its home front.  Everything from prices to taxes was changed to meet the high demands of the military.  For example in order to collect the equivalent of half a trillion dollars, the government doubled taxes, sending all of it towards the war effort.  The very highest tax rate was a shocking 98.5%.  With out the necessary money, people were unable to afford many things.  This made a major impact on the economy, slowing it down greatly.  Industries for luxury goods were cut back and even banned by the government.  The bare minimum, food and clothes, were available though rations.  This sparked the need for more, causing the Black Market and other crimes to emerge.  Although the government was trying to look out for the best interest of Britain, it took a large toll on the country itself.  Unemployment rates began to rise, impovrishing the streets of Britain. 

The Role of Women

Although the role of women in WWI was significant, it got incredibly larger in WWII. During WWI, when the men went off to fight for the United States, many women had to step up and take on jobs to make up for the men that left their jobs. Before this, women mostly stayed at home and raised the kids while the men did all the work. When the war began, they had to do their part in helping the US, which was working on the home front. Although they did have a significant impact on the war, it was nearly as large as they did in WWII. During this war, they not only had jobs, but many even went off to the war to fight. They build airplanes, ships, and over 150,000 women were used in the army. This was important because unlike WWI, they didn't try to help the war from a distance, but were part of it due to the lack of men. Rosie the Riveter is an example of a hard working women in the factories during WWII. She was a symbol and icon for all women during WWII and showed them what the ideal women should be like.

Juvenile Delinquency

Due to the outbreak of World War II, Britain was divided into three sections: evacuation (people in urban areas, where bombing was expected), neutral (people that didn't accept or send away evacuees), and reception (rural areas for the evacuees). This was the plan, headed by Sir John Anderson, to evacuate all children out of Britain's large cities. As children and teachers migrated to rural areas, around a million children were without education. From then on, increased activity of juvenile "hooliganism" was reported, mostly on public air raid shelters. Young boys and girls were misusing these public shelters for sexual activity with one another. It was more a problem not what the teenagers were doing to each other, but the crimes they committed to the other citizens. They broke into the houses of those who went to shelters and stole the possessions of those sleeping in the shelters. The headmaster of the Ashurst Wood Council School gave many reasons for the uprising in youth delinquency. These reasons include bad housing, poverty, no recreational activities, a weakening in the standards of parental control, lesser religious influence, and a lack of amusement. Another factor was a lack of discipline for young men due to their fathers enlisting. Without a authority figure in the home, young boys took advantage of their freedom from parental control. 

One of the biggest problems was teens increasing raids on the Home Guard stores. At one time, a gang would steel thousands of rounds of sten-gun ammunition. Although some were arrested, the possession of these weapons in young hands was very dangerous to society in general, not to mention them stealing valuable resources. 

The government should've tried harder to stop these young people of Britain. They caused great damage. I'm not aware of the extremity of punishments in those days, but it should've been harsher to signify to other teens that this was a serious problem. I also believe that more education should have been put back into their lives because clearly the problem rose when a million kids were left without schooling. We don't realize how important education is, but it not only sets us up for the future, but keeps us on a focused path. 

The British Home Guard: Holding down the fort.

The British "Home Guard" was originally established in 1940 as the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV). The LDV consisted of middle-aged men (40-65) who were considered too old to fight on the front lines, but volunteered for military service. They were a very loosely-organized and loosely-supported group, originally having no uniforms, and only enough weapons for one out of every ten men. Because of this, men in the LDV resorted to arming themselves with common tools such as pickaxes, spears, crowbars, and even dummy rifles. Men in the LDV were stationed along the coast of Britain in order to defend against a supposedly impending sea-based invasion by Germany, and also at munition factories and other such locations of military importance.

Adolf Hitler referred to the Home Guard as "murder bands", denouncing their legitimacy and attempting to highlight their rag-tag nature. He threatened that the German army would immediately execute any member of the Home Guard who attacked the German forces.

Luckily for the members of the ill-equipped Home Guard, the German invasion never came.
____________________________________
In retrospect, there are a few things the British government could have done a few things differently in handling the defense of their homeland.

1. Training of the members of the Home Guard was left up to the individual regional commanders. This left the Home Guard extremely incoherent in style and level of preparation, and therefore extremely easy to break down.

2. Since the Home Guard served as Britain's primary defense (because the army was away in other lands fighting for world freedom and such.), it would have made sense to arm them to the teeth. If they were to fall to an invasion, Britain would be done, because in the time that it would take to ship the army back, the German troops would have stomped the British Isles flat.

3. The Home Guard consisted only of men- no women. In retrospect, as bad as it sounds, this was probably a good idea. If all of the interested men and women went off to various parts of the country to defend their homes, tensions and apprehension at home would rise, and morale would plummet soon after. I'm sure you'd freak out if all of your neighbors suddenly went to the nearest military base to defend the Bay Area against an invasion.

_____________________________
* For more on the defense of the British home front, see Rebecca's post on stationary defense hot air balloons and Christophe's post on air raid sirens.

The Fifth Column

The Fifth Column is a group of people that secretly work to undermine a nation to which it seems to belong to. It was first used during the Spanish Civil War when Emilio Mona said that four columns of his troops would be supported by a fifth within Madrid. This term was later used by Britain during the early years of World War II to fight the Nazis or Fascists. The Defense Regulation 18b that Britain passed in 1939 allowed the capture of people associated with the Nazi party. This was due to fear or a fifth column rising in Britain that might soon overpower it. On May 23, 1940 Oswald Mosley was arrested due to his possible involvement with the Fascist Party. It was believed that he was arrested due to the help of a fifth-column. Oswald Mosley was a leader of the British Union of Fascists. They were arrested in May, 1940 when amendment 1A was introduced to 18b. It stated that detentions were to bed held for the far-right. This was due to a rising threat of internal conflict that might have happened in Britain. More than a thousand people total were arrested because of the Defense Regulation 18b. In June 1940 a school teacher was imprisoned for "advancing defeatist theories" to his students. He told his students that Germany would get closer and closer to Britain, and that they would soon start eating cats and dogs to survive. He was arrested because he invoked fear into the nation of Britain. The British government did not want people to worry about losing the war. This would create chaos in the country and Britain would not stand a chance against Germany when all of its people would doubt its victory.

Status of Women

At the beginning of World War I, women status gradually evolved into a dramatic change by the end of the war. Because the men were gone at battle for the war, many women had to take full responsibility of not only domestic affairs, but also labor and work. Due to this, women began to feel more independent and socially equal compared to the men of society. Although there were many similarities between women status in World War I and World War II, World War II provided more opportunities and privileges for the women to have an actual impact on the war itself. Women gained the rights to work with planes, including flying, building, and operating. Over a thousand women served in the U.S. Air Force in the WASP, however, they did not gain full recognition for their military service until the seventies. World War I and World War II both provided a greater range of women occupations and rights, but by the time World War II arrived, people became more comfortable with the idea of women being treated with greater equality.

List of Movies

1. Saving Private Ryan

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan is about a paratrooper named Ryan that they try to save. It takes place during D Day and has a long scene during the fight at Omaha Beach.

2. Patton

This movie follows a general during WWII. It shows both the good sides of the general and the awful ones. This movie also won 7 academy awards including Best Director,Best Actor and Best Picture in 1970.

3. Pearl Harbor

This movie that takes place during the beginning of WWII is about a man and a woman who fall in love, but everything changes once Pearl Harbor is air raided by the Japanese.

A Women's place in society

After learning about WWI, and WWII as well as doing some research on Rosie the Riveter, it seemed to me that the role of women in both of these wars was primarily the same. Women were always thought of as the one who took care of the household, and had babies in order to continue this process. However, once the war hit because the men went off to war, their was desperate need for people to take over the factories, as wells as other jobs that the men did, in order to help provide for the army, and keep the cities going. Women then were desperately needed to take over the jobs that were vacant, and their roles in society switched. They no longer were quarantined to their households to make dinner, and take care of the children. They now were the reason that the armies were fully supplied, and ready to fight. In WWI their jobs were mainly running all of the factories. However, in WWII the women became much more involved in the war, and now were no longer just operating the factories but were also taking care of the wounded soldiers, and were pilots for the Air Force. The fact that women were restricted to only helping work/manage the factories during WWI, and the in WWII their was a huge leap and women were then able to be pilots, help with the wounded soldiers, and take on other jobs that the men left behind. This indicated a enormous change in the roles the women took in society, and how women were slowly becoming more, and more respected. It is important to see how much the role of women is society has changed over the years, and how the events that took place in WWI, and WWII were key to the evolution.

Blackout

In the early European bouts of World War II, the British found themselves being attacked on the homefront through a constant barrage of air raids by the German air force. As the British government faced large casualties among their citizens, they implemented a number of social policies in order to minimize the destruction caused by German air craft. One of these policies was called a blackout. In order to maintain a daily atmosphere of darkness, citizens of targeted cities were forced to extinguish all sources of light at all times. Dark curtains were used to snuff out natural light and there were even concerns about lighted cigarettes. Also, vehicles were forced to use only their sidelights in between raids and completely put out all lights during a raid. However, these reforms nearly doubled the number of deaths caused by car accidents, and in 1939 the government was obliged to allow cars to use dipped head lights shining through three horizontal slips, while also painting road lines, curbs, and car bumpers white. During these blackout periods, harsh fines were forced upon those who disregarded the new policies. I believe these fines were appropriate and maybe a little bit soft because the times called for desperate measures. Of course there were substantial downsides to the blackout policy, as industry became less efficient and daily life revolved around national protection. In order to reduce the suffocating effects upon British citizens by the raids, the government needed to go straight to the source. This source would be none other than the German raids themselves. It was imperative for the British to gain a great amount of knowledge about the Luftwaffe in order to predict the times they would strike. Also, counter attacks became necessary and were soon in effect. Ultimately, the British prevailed because they were able to utilize the same tools of destruction in the air as the Germans.

Interconnect

WWII Movie List

Here is a list of a few movies that I came up with that where either related to or had a scene that took place during world war II.

1) The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe: Four British syblings were sent to the country side because of the German bombings over London. The Children ended up finding a wardrobe, which served as a passage to a land called Narnia. The movie is about their adventures in Narnia and how they had to get back their brother who was kidnapped by the Ice Queen.

2)The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button: It is the story of a boy who gets younger while everyone else gets older. At one point he leaves his home and sets out to sea where after a few months is attacked by the Russians killing all of the members of his crew as well as his captain. 

3) Pearl Harbor: This movie takes you through Pearl Harbor with the events leading up to it as well as the actual battle, and the aftermath. In addition, you learn about the personal lives of the soldiers, not just when they were at war but before it.

4) Casablanca: Takes place in Casablanca, which was in unoccupied Africa during world war II. It was where many Americans sought refuge from the Germans. The hot spot in Casablanca was a place called Rick's Cafe, which was a night club. It is a story of history as well as the romance between Rick and Ilsa.

5) Valkyrie: This is the story about a man Colonel Claus von Stauffenburg who is apart of the German army, and comes up with a plan to kill Hitler. It is the story of Stauffenburg, his attempts to kill Hitler, how he figures out a ways to put his plan into action, and the failures of his plans.

6) Defiance: This movie is about three Jewish brothers who are apart of the resistance against Hitler. It is about their lives in the resistance, the hardships,  how they took care of the people who where with them, and how they fought when they went head to head with the German army.

7) The Sound of Music: Maria who originally is in a convent in Austira, is asked to leave the convent and is sent to work as a governess for a Naval officer who has seven children. At first the children don't like Maria but later they become fond of her, and Maria and the Captain Von Trap (Naval Officer) fall in love and get married. When Von Trap refuses to join Hitler and take his place in the army, the Nazi's come after him and his family. The Von Traps had to escape through the hills of Austria and into neutral Switzerland.

Women Needed

The proof that World War II was by nature even more of a total war than the first world war are the WACs and the WAVEs that served. The WACs, or the Women's Army Corps, was first created in 1942 because the war took such a toll that there was a shortage of men. Over 150,000 were put in uniform for this total war, despite initial concerns that it was not a women's job. The WAVES, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, were accepted straight into the Navy in 1942. By 1943, there were 27,000 women serving in the continental United States and eventually other overseas locations. These two programs show that WWII had a much larger effect on the entire globe than first world war did. During WWI, women were kept at home or in factories, making supplies for the war, but none of them actually saw any combat. The second war war was so consuming that social norms were set aside and women had to step up and serve.

Air Raid Shelters

Top: Anderson Shelter

Bottom: Morrison Shelter

Air raid shelters were built starting around 1935, when the British prime minister of the time invited local authorities to make plans to protect their towns in the event of a war. In response, public air raid shelters were arranged. These shelters were made of brick, and their roofs were built of reinforced concrete. In 1938, the British government really began to fear a war with Germany. A group of volunteers called the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) was mobilized. Air raid shelters were made from cellars, basements, and large trenches dug in public parks. That same year, Sir John Anderson was placed in charge of the ARP. He called for an engineer to create small, cheap shelters that people could erect in their gardens. These "Anderson shelters" measured only 6ft. 6in. by 4ft. 6in. but could accommodate six people. They were made from six curved sheets bolted together at the top with steel plates at the ends and were half-buried in the earth with a steel shield and an earthen blast wall protecting the entrance. These shelters were made in bulk, and they were very cheap to buy—around £7 for people who earned some money and free to the very poor. Anderson shelters were made in bulk because they were cheap and convenient. Many people had a garden in which to erect such a shelter, and with the threat of a bombing it was much safer to have a shelter right in their own backyard than have to rush to a public shelter when the alarm was sounded.

Morrison shelters—named after home Secretary Herbert Morrison—began to be issued in 1941 after a census discovered that the majority of people did not use specially created shelters. Instead, most people slept in their own homes. Morrison shelters were made of heavy steel and designed to fit in the living room of a home, where they would be used as a table. People could lift up one wire side and crawl inside to hide. These shelters were fairly large in that they could provide sleeping space for two to three people.

In my opinion, Morrison shelters would be a much more successful shelter for the government to invest in than Anderson shelters. While both are convenient, Morrison shelters have an added convenience of being in the home. Many people had gardens where they could erect Anderson shelters, but everyone with a home had a living room in which to put a Morrison shelter. Also, Anderson shelters—having taken advantage of the earth as cover—were damp, cold, and—because of their small area—crowded. Morrison shelters were fit for three people to sleep in comfortably, as well as being inside—warm and dry. The census of 1940 showed that domestic shelters—such as Anderson shelters—were only being used by 27% of people. Obviously, the focus needed to be shifted to a new kind of shelter that would have the same level of safety but be more appealing to take cover in.

Black Market: Treason

Before WWII began, Britain had an organized system of imports and exports, and consistently imported 55 million tons of food yearly from neighboring countries. German, being the rising power of Europe that they were, wanted not only territorial domination, but also control of trade. The German navy was able to successfully decrease the import rate that Britain was used to, and Britain was forced into food rationing, similar to the United States when the war began. 

By 1940, Britain was forced to ration bacon, butter and sugar; however as the months went on, meat, fish, tea, eggs, jam, biscuits, milk, breakfast cereals, cheese and canned fruit followed. Townspeople were forced to register with the local shop, and quite often shop owners were reported to the Ministry of Food for selling certain goods out of paranoia due to revenue losses.

A Black Market was established, that catered to the needs of citizens who needed goods that were not easily accessible. The British parliament began to fund investigators in order to prevent the illegal buying and selling of rationed goods. The need for food coupons was too much for the average citizen, yet the government saw the Black Market as total treason.

In my opinion the Black Market was/is treason, and should be punishable by the government. A citizen is a part of a country, and must adhere to the laws of that country when it comes to something as meaningful as food rationing. The food they are buying from the Black Market, is being taken away from a family that relies on food stamps.

"Flying their war into history: Women Airforce service pilots"

Women in the early 1940s until the end of the war were a large part in the success of the U.S. army. Although few women actually fought they were essential to the Allies victory not only in the home front but also in the air force. The women did not fight enemies in these fighter planes, however they towed targets, engineered test flights, utility flew, and often were considered ferry pilots. In total, 1,074 women became Women Air Force Service Pilots - WASPs. Although these women never fought in combat their role as ferry pilots greatly altered the dynamics of the war. These women were not flying small planes. The variety of the planes they flew ranged from: P-51s, P-17s, P-38s, and P-47s. They also flew AT-6s, B-17s, and even B-26s. These women also acted as production testers. They would receive the manual for a certain new plane read over this booklet and then immediately went to work. The group that these courageous women worked for was called the AAF (Army Air Force). Many of these women flew thousands and thousands of hours for their country. Other WASPs were used as utility pilots who relocated pieces of equipment and flew other soldiers where they were needed. One of the oddest reasons to incorporate women in the AAF was to convince men that these new planes were safe, seeing that women could fly them. These women were revolutionary for their time and changed the way WWII will be remembered forever. These aren't the only revolutionary women in the United States' history. During WWI women were also asked to step up and help their nation. They helped in a far different way then the WASPs did. The way women during WWI helped was by working in jobs men usually occupied. By doing this the American economy did not diminish and as hard as it may seem regular life somewhat carried on. Although what the women did in the two world wars were somewhat different their goals were the same. These women realized that their nation was in need and that they could help.

Rosie The Riveter

Rosie the Riveter was essentially an American icon to inspire women to become active in WWII. She is a close depiction of Rose Will Monroe, who built bombers during WWII.  Her personality and contribution to the war served as a key to propaganda to women in the war and inspired many to work harder and contribute in some way. I think that icons like this tell us a lot about the nature of total war. It tells us that in wars like this, anyone that contributes is doing nothing but helping. All the help that could be offered was always needed, as it was in WWI, possibly even more in WWI simply because the women had to replace the men in many cases. Overall, I see a lot of similarities between the nature and role of women in both cases.

British Barrage Balloon Usage

Even though most of the countries involved in World War II's governments were primarily concerned with their advancement on the battlefield, the home front was also a major concern. After attacks on London, Britain wanted to protect key targets such as industrial areas, port cities, and harbors. In 1938 the British Balloon Command, a Royal Air Force Command in charge of barrage balloon units, was established. Barrage balloons were large balloons tethered to the ground with steel cables. The balloons could be raised or lowered to reach a desired altitude. The main purpose of the balloons was to prevent low altitude flying of enemies such as dive bombers. The balloons forced enemy airships to fly at higher altitudes which decreased the amount of surprise on the attacks and decreased the accuracy of enemy bombing. The fact that the cables forced enemies into specific directions and altitudes, made ground defense on the attacks easier, as the enemy airships were more concentrated. 

Now the year is 1941 and there are over 1500 balloons scattering the British skyline. Initially, the addition of barrage balloons to the British defensive plan seemed useless and unproductive. They were a hassle to construct, and the amount of the balloons directly and entirely effects the efficiency of the balloons.In 1936 when there were only 450 balloons in command, the efficiency and effectiveness of the balloons was minimal. Now that the effort has been put in to increase the amount of the balloons and faster productivity, the balloons seem like a strong and logical way to defend against German air attacks. The British mentality of how to provide defense against air attacks includes using every viable weapon, fighters, anti-aircrafts, and balloons. The balloons seem to be a important part of the overall plan of defense and are effective. Even if some balloons are shot down or struck by lightening, every possible attempt at defense seems worth it. The effort has been put into creating a specific command to deal with them and their creation has been increased. Logistically, they seem worth it to keep building and setting up. 

As for the mental aspect of the balloons on both the people of the home front and the enemy, the balloons seem to provide a visible, concrete attempt at insuring the safety of the British people, as well as a visible, concrete barrier to the Germans. If the Germans know that there are huge cables and balloons controlling their airship activity over Britain, it will decrease the chance of them launching attacks. If the British people know that the government is putting in so much effort to not only fighting the enemy beyond borders, but also defending them, they will trust the authorities more, unifying the country and helping them to win the war. 

Children's Education

The education system in Britain was drastically affected by World War Two. Children were only in school until the age of fifteen, and legislation to extend the age was postponed when the war started. When the city bombings began, children and teachers were evacuated en masse to the rural areas, where the schools had fewer supplies and materials. The children who weren't moved now had no school, and lost the health tests and free food perks, as well as increasing the rate of hooliganism in cities. Then, as teachers started to get drafted to fight, the class sizes exploded, making any learning very difficult. Eventually, the school day had two be slit into a double shift system, where kids could only come in the morning or in the afternoon.
These problems were very difficult to avoid, as logistical snags will affect any type of mass movement of people. The British government should have enforced an evacuation of all children in the cities to avoid the problems created by the stragglers, and then invested the neccessary money to build the additional building needed for the schools. Then they'd be able to focus on the war without another unneeded distraction.

For more detailed information, see this page.

Movies

1) Saving Private Ryan- a movie starring Tom Hanks about the journey to rescue a lost paratrooper named private Ryan. It is set during the Invasion of Normandy, and is an unbelievable depiction of WWII.

2) Valkyrie- A movie with Tom Cruise about his plot to kill Hitler. It eventually costs him his life, but it is extremely powerful and it is extremely powerful to have Hitler play an actual role in the movie instead of just being mention without being shown.

3) Schindler's List-  A film about a man named Oskar Schindler, and how he saved thousands of Polish Jews by employing them in factories. Extremely moving

4) The Boy In The Striped Pajamas- A film about a family in which the father works for the Nazis. They move to a place that the rest of the family discovers is next to a concentration camp. The young son befriends another boy at the concentration camp, and the film is about the two friends, who know each other from opposite sides of the fence, literally.

5) The Pianist- A film with Adrian Brody, who plays a Polish Jew that is an extremely talented pianist. The film takes place during the outbreak of WWII and the invasion of Poland

Air Raid Sirens in WWII

As part of their Blitzkrieg warfare, the Germans launched nightly air raids on England during WWII. These air raids were performed by the Luftwaffe, and Air Raid Wardens were nominated to sound sirens when the Luftwaffe was arriving; another siren rang to signal the beginning of the raid; and yet another to announce the end of the raids.

People that were doing important war work were supposed to pay no heed to the first siren, and instead go to their shelters only when enemy aircraft was directly overhead, at the second siren.
This is because sometimes the planes would fly by, but not drop any bombs, so leaving the factories on the first siren would simply delay work. Also, most people weren't killed by the bombs themselves, but by flying bits of debris or shells of the bombs.

The sirens themselves were sounded in short blasts and long notes, and often were simply imporvised on the wardens' whistles. However, the siren announcing the end of an air raid was one long, continuous, two-minute note.

One factory worker, a woman, said: "Sometimes the Germans would drop their bombs before the second bell went. On one occasion a bomb hit the factory before we were given permission to go to the shelter. The paint department went up. I saw several people flying through the air and I just ran home. I was suffering from shock. I was suspended for six weeks without pay." She went on to say that she wished she didn't have to work, but that she knew it was essential for the war, and that it was as dangerous as being a soldier.

Often, movies, or other events, were interrupted because of the air raids. One woman said: "When they had turned on the cinema lights, it seemed not just to have severed the film sequence, but shattered a fantasy, an intrusion that made me feel irritable and angry. Through the endless yards of celluloid, reality had intruded - reminding us that outside, a war was still going on, and we must not forget it. Not even in the cinema could we dream, perchance to sleep."

Clearly, the Luftwaffe air raids, and the British governments' signaling and shelter policies scared some people, endangered others, and generally broke the morale of all who had to take part in them. I still believe, though, that this trauma was nothing compared to what the soldiers had to suffer through on the battlefield.

Rosie the Riveter

After becoming involved in WW2, America began to realize that they really needed women to step up into the positions that men left vacant behind them.  Woman had to work heavy machinery in order to make what was necessary for war.  America didn't need women to help out fighting the war, the needed help in preparation for the war.  Rosie the Riveter became a symbol of women who are working to support the men who are fighting in the war.  The reason Rosie was such a good symbol is because she seemed the the stereotypical working woman.  She made other women aspire to be her, this is why Rosie was such effective propaganda.

Five Pieces of Work about WWII

1) Call of Duty 2 for Xbox
This magnificent video game features level after level of exciting war adventures. The battles are not only located in Eastern Europe, but also North Africa, France, and Italy. One level you even storm the beaches of Normandy of D-Day. It has received great reviews and seems to be some what realistic.
2) Saving Private Ryan
The story of Saving Private Ryan is the story of a family of boys: the Ryan's who joined in the war effort for WWII. On D-Day all four Ryan boy's fight on the beaches of Normandy. Three of the four die. When writing addressing the letter's to the mother of these unfortunate boys, one government worker realizes that their mother will be devastated when she finds out three of her four boys have died. They then decide to discharge the final Private Ryan. This movie features Tom Hanks and won many awards.
3) Band of Brothers
Band of Brothers is a TV show that tells the story of a platoon of paratroopers called Easy Company. We follow their path in WWII and learn story of these courageous men. It has great special effects, good acting, and even some slight humor. Suprisingly, Tom Hanks was the main producer of this TV series. This is one of my favorite pieces of work ever!
4) A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is placed in the WWII time period where nearly all American men have enlisted in the U.S. army to fight. It's up to the women of the U.S. to keep proffesional baseball alive. This movie is their story. Some of the main characters are Tom Hanks and Rosie O'Donnell.
5)Flags of Our Fathers
To summarize, Flags of Our Fathers is the story of the six men who raised the flag on top Mount Suribachi after defeating the Japanese in a brutal battle. This picture soon becomes an icon and seems to bring the American people hope during the Great Depression. Before this picture was taken the American public had began to lose hope and less war bonds were being bought. After this picture was taken the men who rose the flag on that day in Japan were taken home and used as propaganda.

Things Relating To WW2

The only book, movie, tv show, etc that i have seen a World War 2 Reference in was a Simpsons episode where Bart joins a band and is tricked into playing songs that contain subliminal messages encouraging people to join the military (aka propaganda). there were lots of flashbacks to the war.

A War Woman's Job

A woman's job changed dramatically during both WWI and WWII. Women were normally seen as delicate and frail human beings at times during peace. But once times of war came, the social norm that women should stay at home had to change so that women could fill the jobs vacated by men. In both WWI AND WWII, a woman's importance in society was increased, for the government had to depend on them in order to create the necessary armaments to supply the army. This illustrates that the governments appears to only use women when it is necessary. And this is where Rosie the Riveter comes in. Rosie was a very strong, muscular woman that persuaded women to serve their country in any way they could, which was to help in factories, among other places. And while women were still used for the same reason as in WWI, this method of propaganda was a new form of recruiting women.

Complusory Billeting

Because of the heavy bombing raids in urban cities and the threat of invasion, in 1938, Britain instated a policy called compulsory billeting, or the evacuation of a group of people from one area to another. So to protect the people of Britain, Sir John Anderson came up with a policy that divided the country into three areas: the areas where people would be leaving, neutral areas, and the areas people would be moving to. Anderson decided that the children from urban cities should move to rural areas, and then made the people of the rural areas house these evacuees. Many of the officials that regulated this evacuation were volunteers and were not paid, and the billetors, or the people that housed the evacuees, were paid just a small amount for every child they took in. Although housing was not expensive because of this, the evacuees had to get their own food.
But life in the rural areas was very different from life in the cities, and the people had to get used to each other. The urban children had lice and other infections that arose from living so close to one another, and many of them were not used to the luxuries available in the more spacious rural homes. It was a new world for them. To the billetors, these urban children were unhygienic and completely appalling.
While this billeting was a good idea, it had a few flaws. The government shouldn't have made it compulsory. People should neither be forced to leave their homes, nor should they be forced to take people in especially in a democratic country. They should have just instated the policy and let people choose whether they would rather risk their chances in an urban city or move to a safer area. It is like a natural disaster warning today; if you are warned of an approaching hurricane, you can either choose to evacuate or stay. Even though evacuating would be safer, no one can make you leave. Also, if the government was going to force this policy on people, they should have been more supportive of it. More money should have been left to this program. The billetors were paid little, and they could do little more than provide the people with housing. But the people had also left behind their jobs, and they needed some way of earning money so they could buy food and other necessities. The lack of these necessities caused a lot of problems between billetors and evacuees, and if the government had backed the program with more money, it would have worked much more smoothly.
To learn more about how this evacuation affected children's education go to this post.
To read another opinion concerning the enforcement of laws and government power click here.

WW2 books, movies ect...

Over the past 4 or 5 years I have seen several movies that take place during WW2.  One book that I read is called Number the Stars by Louis Lowry.  This was about a jewish girl who lived in Denmark, and was smuggled out of the country after the germans invaded.  I have also seen a number of movies that are based in the time of WW2.  About two years ago I watched the movie titled "Flags of our Fathers".  This was a very particular story line about a troop of men who captured the island of Iwo Jima.  Once they reached the mountain in the center of the island, they mounted an american flag.  A picture of this was taken which became the "face of the great depression."  Also, two years ago, I watched the entire season of the TV show "Band of Brothers".  We did watch part of this in class, but the show is very different from the interviews we watched in class, however the story line is much like that which is described in the interviews.  It follows a group of paratroopers who fought in many of the key fights in WW2.

Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter illustrates a change in the notion of “a woman’s role in society”. In both World Wars, women were used in propaganda. However, as illustrated by Rosie, the mood and values presented greatly differed. In World War I woman were portrayed as motivational icons for men to enlist. The pictures would vary, but whether it was a young woman hanging off of a sailor or a wife waving goodbye to her husband, women were not shown as a part of the war effort. There was some domestic propaganda, such as buy war bonds or ration food, but it was urging woman to take a passive stance. As a whole, women were shown as vulnerable and in need of protection.

Rosie the Riveter shows a very different view that was put forward in WWII. Rosie is a symbol of female strength. She is not a weak and helpless female, rather she is shown as strong and brave and willing to do her part for her country. It is a call for women to take up the jobs left behind by the men, and shows how the total war of WWII forced countries to utilize all their resources. This radical change to the classic image of the damsel in distress was brought on by the necessity of WWII, but it paved the way for modern Women's Rights movements.

WWII in Books and Movies

Movies
Valkyrie – a recent movie about an attempted coup by high ranking German officers planning to kill Hitler and take control of Nazi Germany. It is set near the end of WWII.

The Sound of Music – a musical following the plight of a family living in Austria in 1938

Books
The Sunflower – a two part story, in which the author Simon Wiesenthal tells his experience of the concentration camps. The second part is a collection of replies from various people answering the dilemma presented when a dying Nazi asked Simon for forgiveness.

A Separate Peace – a story about two high school boys during the early years of WWII.

Maus I - a graphic novel written by Art Spiegelman on his father's experience of the Holocaust.
And now, I have also read Maus II

Women's Roles in the US

The roles of women have evolved a great deal, and it has been known that such progress typically takes place in the midst of war: when the capabilities of a country are stretched, so are its social rules. I believe that the role of women in both world wars was to stay at home and sport the home front until the situation became so dire that the government was forced to ask women to take some duty for the war. In WWI, they hired women as nurses and telephone operators overseas. In WWII they needed army plane pilots. The first ever all women’s pilot program, known as WASP, was founded on experimental grounds to meet the need for pilots to fly the planes coming off of assembly lines and the demand for supplies to be flown from one place to another.

The only apparent difference in combat was that in WWI, the soldiers loved having the women around. However in WWII, the soldiers made it very clear that they disapproved of women flying planes for the military. After the conclusion of both wars, women’s roles fell back into their previous mold. After WWI, women returned to their homemaking, and after WWII, women were not able to fly for the army for another thirty years. This proves that total war has forced exceptions to gender roles onto society that the majority of the population was not psychologically prepared for.