Women's traditional roles were upended during World War II as millions of men enlisted, leaving jobs vacant. Women were encouraged to enter the workforce to support the war effort, taking on jobs in factories, farms, and the military. Over 100,000 women joined the Women's Army Corps and 11,000 joined the WAVES to perform clerical and support roles. 68,000 women also served as nurses to care for wounded soldiers. While social norms tried to return women to the home after the war, their expanded work and military roles during the war represented a significant shift in gender roles internationally.

1. Women at War 1939-1945

2. Women’s role before the war “ A woman’s place is in the home” Domestic life: Child rearing Men work & Women stay home

3. War Begins Men enlist by the millions leaving jobs with no workers Women are encouraged to go into the work force. This causes a drastic change in sexual roles in every nation.

4. Life on the Home Front Women take over traditional male roles They go to work in factories and farms by the thousands supporting the war effort Rationing imposes hardships

17. Women in Uniform Case Study: US Armed Services “free a man for the front line” Worked mostly clerical, support roles including mechanics, cooks, & secretaries

18. Women’s Army Corp 100,000 Joined

21. WAVES 11,000 Joined

24. Army and Navy Nurses 68,000 Women served to nurse wounded soldiers

26. Russia: Women were Front Line Soldiers

27. Secret Agents, Saboteurs, & Partisans Due to the Sexist ideas of the age women were able to effectively fight a covert war against the enemy

28. Reporters and Photographers News coverage encouraged many women to get jobs as correspondents.

30. After the War The new found freedom for women both in the US and elsewhere was taken away as men returned. Governments encouraged women to “return to the home and family”