World War II and its Effects on Women and their Role in Society
While the man’s role in World War II was clearly defined, meaning that if he was physically able, he could fight, the role for women was not immediately known. However, as World War II progressed, women came to play an extremely pivotal role in the war. Women’s entry into a number of new jobs and roles during World War II was a critical point in history, as it led to a key societal shift that ultimately contributed to the Women’s Rights Movement two decades later. The most iconic image of women during the Second World War is that of Rosie the Riveter, an advertising technique utilized to promote the role of women and their movement into the vacant jobs left by the men. …show more content…
The grand scale of women involved in this war illustrates just how monumental this event in history was. For example, females were able to enlist for 6 months to allow male troops to be alleviated from combat for a short period. More specifically, women served in the Navy and Army Nurse Corps, the Navy Coast Guard, and the Women’s Reserves of the Marine Corps. Additionally, organizations such as the American Red Cross employed a number of female workers. Towards the end of the war, there were hardly any jobs that were noncombatant that women did not work in; thus, they held a strong presence throughout the duration of the war. Women’s roles expanded further at home, in addition to their roles on the warfront. At home, there was a high volume of vacancies in a number of jobs traditionally filled by men, such as in the industrial and manufacturing sectors. As a result, women were left to fill these roles. Traditionally, the role of women existed solely in the home where they raised the family and ran a household, while the husband worked and provided. With the onset of the war however, women were forced to go to work not only to provide for their families, but also because there was no one else to fill the great volume of …show more content…
For the first time in history, society saw a drastic need that was ultimately fulfilled as a result of the women who stepped up to help. This helped to pave the way for a future movement down the road: the Women’s Rights Movement, which would occur twenty years later. Many historians agree that it is World War II that set in motion the many changes that women would continue to see in regards to their societal roles. Indeed, World War II was pivotal to women’s place in society, as women filled roles that they had previously been unable to. In conclusion, World War II represented a societal shift for women, as it ultimately paved the way for the Women’s Rights Movement, which occurred several years after the war. During this time in history, women become a critical and powerful force that ultimately made a significant difference both on the home front and in combat. These societal changes, undoubtedly, contributed to even more changes for women later on in
While the man’s role in World War II was clearly defined, meaning that if he was physically able, he could fight, the role for women was not immediately known. However, as World War II progressed, women came to play an extremely pivotal role in the war. Women’s entry into a number of new jobs and roles during World War II was a critical point in history, as it led to a key societal shift that ultimately contributed to the Women’s Rights Movement two decades later. The most iconic image of women during the Second World War is that of Rosie the Riveter, an advertising technique utilized to promote the role of women and their movement into the vacant jobs left by the men. …show more content…
The grand scale of women involved in this war illustrates just how monumental this event in history was. For example, females were able to enlist for 6 months to allow male troops to be alleviated from combat for a short period. More specifically, women served in the Navy and Army Nurse Corps, the Navy Coast Guard, and the Women’s Reserves of the Marine Corps. Additionally, organizations such as the American Red Cross employed a number of female workers. Towards the end of the war, there were hardly any jobs that were noncombatant that women did not work in; thus, they held a strong presence throughout the duration of the war. Women’s roles expanded further at home, in addition to their roles on the warfront. At home, there was a high volume of vacancies in a number of jobs traditionally filled by men, such as in the industrial and manufacturing sectors. As a result, women were left to fill these roles. Traditionally, the role of women existed solely in the home where they raised the family and ran a household, while the husband worked and provided. With the onset of the war however, women were forced to go to work not only to provide for their families, but also because there was no one else to fill the great volume of …show more content…
For the first time in history, society saw a drastic need that was ultimately fulfilled as a result of the women who stepped up to help. This helped to pave the way for a future movement down the road: the Women’s Rights Movement, which would occur twenty years later. Many historians agree that it is World War II that set in motion the many changes that women would continue to see in regards to their societal roles. Indeed, World War II was pivotal to women’s place in society, as women filled roles that they had previously been unable to. In conclusion, World War II represented a societal shift for women, as it ultimately paved the way for the Women’s Rights Movement, which occurred several years after the war. During this time in history, women become a critical and powerful force that ultimately made a significant difference both on the home front and in combat. These societal changes, undoubtedly, contributed to even more changes for women later on in