Women on the U.S Home Front
When the war began there was an extremely high demand for jobs to produce wartime materials, and when the men were shipped off to war, the women stepped up and took their place. Women also did various other things from victory gardens to rationing goods. But, arguably their most important role was to keep a positive attitude and high moral on the Home Front. War can be a very scary time but women did all they could to make their children, and others feel safe. During WWII, life on the Home Front was a significant part of the war effort and had a major impact on the outcome of the war, and no one had a more significant role on the Home Front than women.
This document is a personal account of Mourine Merrow, she describes her early life and her life throughout the wars. It also includes a photo of Mourine and her husband working together at the Aircraft Training School. Mourine Merrow was born in Michigan in 1916 and she lived there throughout the war. Mourine felt many impacts of the war in her daily life, and rather than complain or get upset, she took things into her own hands and did all she could to support the war. She supported the war by rationing foods and goods, by volunteering at various places, wrote letters to troops to boost moral, planted a victory garden, and she even enrolled in the Aircraft Training School. This story was intended for all U.S citizens, to show everything that she did, and you can do, in your life to be a good American and support the war.
This document depicts the perfect attitude of an American during wartime. There is a picture included in this document showing Mourine working next to her husband at the Aircraft Training School. This picture is the epitome of a patriotic woman at this time. She is working hand and hand with her husband supporting the war. This picture shows how whole families would come together to support the war. While war often pulls families apart, this war brought families together on the Home Front. She never complained about the struggles she went through but only described how she contributed to the war effort. She states in the last paragraph of her story “I am proud to remember that I played a small part to help preserve the freedom we all enjoy today”. This quote describes the ideal attitude of an American at war. She knows that by rationing foods or writing letters to soldiers will not win the war, but everyone must do their part.
On the Home Front it is not necessarily important what you do, but why you do it. Obviously, only buying 3 eggs rather than 12 will not save anyone’s life, but it’s the idea behind it that matters. If everyone in the U.S believes they are helping the war, they will be happier and have a much greater sense of nationalism. During war it is easy to be scared or depressed, and by people thinking they are helping can drastically change their attitude towards the war.
This Photograph shows Mrs. Virginia Young and Ethel Mann working in the Assembly and Repairs Department of the Naval Air Base. This Photograph was taken in August 1942 in Corpus Christi, Texas. This photo depicts two young women in uniforms working in a factory. This photo was most likely planned or staged. The lighting in this shot is only on the two women and their workplace; they also have strong looks of pride or satisfaction. This photo was most likely used to try to get younger women to apply for these jobs or at least make them feel like they can be part of the war effort.
The most powerful part of this picture is not even included in the picture, but in the description. It states that Mr. Virginia Young’s husband was one of the first men to die at Pearl Harbor. It would be a very normal thing for her to grieve or be upset, but instead she signs up to help in the war effort. Rather than get depressed, she decided to make a difference, to make her husband proud. This photo was used to show these “ideal” American women by showing them supporting the war, and being satisfied in what they are doing. This photo show’s other women on the Home Front that they need to stay strong and positive, and help in any way they can.
The center of interest is on the two women and the items on the table. The light is heavily focused on them, and there is little to no light in the background of the photo. The most important part of this picture is the women’s facial expressions. This picture is not powerful just because it shows two women working in a factory. It is powerful because of the pride you can see in their faces. They are happy with what they are doing and proud of their work, they truly believe they are doing a good thing.
While most wars tear people apart from each other, this war brought everyone on the U.S Home Front together. The U.S Home Front was very successful because of the drastic boost of nationalism and moral. Women took into their own hands to do what needed to done. Every U.S citizen did what he or she could to help out the war effort, which made him or her feel like they were part of the war too. Women, however, had one of the most significant impacts on the Home Front, and ultimately, the war.

Works Cited

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education/for-students/ww2-history/at-a-glance/women-in-ww2.pdf