Category: 20th Century

During the mid-20th century the outbreak of war proved to devastate and influence the globe into a mass war effort publication to engage the public into supporting the cause to victory. Upon the intervention of the imperial air force on the attack of pearl harbour in 1941 the U.S was sprung into the 2nd world war. However, the U.S needed more social support for the war in Europe in the effort to prevent fascism from being the dominating ideology. In a bid to get the public approval and to sell more war bonds for the war effort the U.S focused on American cinema. From this essay I am going to focus on film content, industry operation, audience reception and portray how the out break of war affected these fundamentals of American cinema from a positive or negative outlook. The focus of this essay will be to obtain a clear notion of clarity into how or if the out break of war helped or hindered industry operation and if film content was entirely influenced by the U.S government’s intervention. The way I will conduct my analysis is by researching a variety of films made in this era such as ‘the great dictator’ (1940) but also divulge and back up my research from different authors who specialise in this field, such as Lewis Jacobs, Colin Shindler and Walter L. Hixson.

Film content during the 1930s was the start of the golden age in American cinema due to the introduction of sound and colour rolling into the screens of new blockbusters. the American culture was being uplifted towards motion pictures after the working class was the main demographic to cinema and the first daily newspaper for the film industry had its debut in 1930, The Hollywood Reporter. However, film content would ultimately change during the out break of war to focus on the war effort. Film content began to showcase numerous war related films to entice the American public with the reality of war being abrupt and realism to set in. this best quoted by author Lewis Jacobs in his book ‘world war 2 and American film’ when he states ‘until 1942,most Hollywood movies were escapist entertainment, which aimed to distract the spellbound public from agonizing radio and newspaper reports about the axis partners expansion in Europe’. one such film being ‘Casablanca’ (1942) which would be regarded as one of the best films ever made. Directed by Michael Curtiz bought some quintessential themes throughout the film. The most important being ‘Neutrality’ which is codified in Rick Blaine’s attempts to remain politically neutral become increasingly futile as the film goes on. As ilsa and Laszlo’s bring the conflict to Ricks attention, he has the option to help or stay neutral and of course helps the couple. This protagonist of ricks character is juxtaposing to the American intervention into mainland Europe and the Pacific. This then coordinates with the theme of ‘sacrifice’ with Ricks character as he is seen as an isolationist and is quoted by saying “I stick my neck out for nobody” however due to his love for Ilsa opens his heart and unlocks his heroic nature. His love for Ilsa is seen as Americas love for democracy and anti-fascism.

After the attack on pearl harbour president franklin Roosevelt focused his attention on Hollywood claiming that motion picture was the most effective medium of informing the nation. Claiming of a no government intervention on the production of films, by June 1942 after some bureaucratic reshuffle ‘the office of war information’ (IWO) was formed to be the watchdog on film media and output. A major film company that ratified its content to engage the war effort was ‘Disney’ which saw an influx of iconic cartoon characters being placed in war scenarios. The U.S government looked to Walt Disney more than any other studio chief as a builder of public morale providing instruction and training for sailors and soldiers. Disney was and still is a staple of American culture which changed its content from playful and slapstick antics to then propaganda and dark humour portrayal. One such film titled ‘Donald Duck goes to war’ (1944) which shows him learning how to fight efficiently in the Asian pacific. Another is ‘der Fuehrer’s Face’ (1943) which portrays Donald in “Nazi land” being worked to death and his life being dictated by Hitler. The main theme of this film is ‘demonization’ of the enemy but also ‘glorification’ of the U.S mainland and of its democratic ideology. The U.S government green lighted the use of anti-German and anti-Japanese themes to portray these countries and their leaders as manipulative without morals whilst keeping the humoristic traits which were stapled into Disney’s animation.

The out break of war affected all proportions of the united states but also had a major change onto the film industry operations. After president Roosevelt wanted to “emotionalize” the reality of war over sea’s, so did the transformation of Hollywood and awareness of war in feature length films. The economic prospects of war favoured massively for the movie industry after the eight major movie production companies temporally merged together known as ‘the big eights’ in view of the war effort. This venture combined with the pre-war defence build-up initiated an economic upturn meant that revenue and profits soared over the course of the war. from about $20 million in 1940 to $35 million in 1941 and the Big Eight’s combined profits neared $50 million in 1942 with a peak of 60 million in the last 3 years of the war. however, although business was booming the feeling of uncertainty and dislocation to the movie industry. From 1941-42 the U.s and allies were suffering in the pacific theatre resulting in wartime restrictions and shortages affecting every sector of the film industry. This was also affiliated with the complexities of Hollywood’s relationship with the government and armed forces at the time. This is best backed up from the book ‘Hollywood goes to war’ where upon it shows the magnitude of stress caused by the arrival of war with its quote ‘For although the war time intrusion of the government was new, censorship and coercion was as old as Hollywood itself’.

Hollywood’s greatest contribution to the war effort was morale. Many of the movies produced during the second world war were patriotic rallying cries that affirmed a sense of national purpose and pride for American society. Combat films of the war years emphasized patriotism, group effort, and the value of individual sacrifices for a larger cause, which in turn enticed people into believing that the U.S was the only superpower nation to stop fascism. To attract a wider demographic, war films would include a diverse group of men from different ethnic backgrounds as well as social backgrounds to ensure that there was relatability and unity being proscribed for audience reception. As well as men being focused into protagonist fighting roles, women were also targeted into feature length films as well. Many wartime films featured women characters playing an active role in the war by serving as combat nurses, riveters, welders, and long-suffering mothers who kept the home fires burning. After the feminist movement fell silent during the 1930s depression, this was the first-time women was having more professional roles in society bringing a women-based target audience more acquired. In many ways the outbreak of world war two affected gender roles in American cinema, moving away from the ‘femme fatale’ and ‘damsel in distress’ roles to impowering and respected positions on the big screen. This point is backed up by Andrea S. Walsh when she sates ‘The films popular amongst female audiences in this period portray a view of womanhood as; strong, maternal, and sisterly; desiring yet distrusting and angry towards men’. The film ‘His Girl Friday’ (1940) shows this beautifully by introducing themes of ‘ambition’ and ‘gender’ through the remarkable acting of actress Rosalind Russell.

In conclusion from the on set of war being brought to U.S doorstep, which had a knock-on effect from all quarters of the country which made no exception to the American film industry. Film content would have been changed forever with many of feature length films being acquired to inform and promote Americas foreign policy with the pacific theatre and Europe. This in turn would have had a knock-on effect with the industry operation economic bounds after the merging of ‘the big eight. After the outbreak of war, the audience reception would be altered to bring a sense of unity amongst the masses to put aside any ethnic or gender related differences to be put aside to focus the war effort. This is very significant due to the fact that without the adaptation to new film audience, it can be said that America would not of had as much support for their involvement in the war and may of resulted in complete withdrawal in Europe. However, the economic gains made by the major production companies gave more momentum and support for the technological advancements that preceded the years to come.

After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914 and until 1918, the First World War began. During the war, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the United States of America were dealt with by Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. World War 1 caused the death of over 17 million people as well as over 100,000 American Troops. While it is hard to pinpoint what caused the war, there are several things that happened prior to the war that are valid reasons as to why they are the causes of World War 1 as well as the consequences of World War 1.

Some of the causes of World War 1 are military, imperialism, as well as nationalism. The military is one of the main causes of World War 1. As the world began in the 20th century, an Arms Race began, which was mainly related to the number of warships in each country and their increasingly large armies which also caused countries to begin training their young men to prepare for battles. These wars began to increase in size as well as machines such as guns, increase in quality for protection, as well as speed. By 1914, Germany had almost 100 military vessels and 2 million soldiers trained. At this time, Britain and Germany both significantly increased their navies as well. Another cause of World War 1 is imperialism. Imperialism is when a larger country or government is becoming stronger by taking on poorer or weaker, resourceful countries. Imperialism is one of the main causes of World War 1 because there was a major competition between gaining empires as well as raw substances. Prior to World War I, in Africa and parts of Asia, several European countries had made rival imperialist claims, calling them arguments. This was a sum of the growing competition for bigger empires which led to diving into World War 1. The last main cause of World War 1 was nationalism. Nationalism is pure love and devotion to one’s country. Nationalism has led to not only the start but to the expanding war in Europe and Asia in many of the countries in Europe. Many countries started constructing their armies and marines. As each country tried to demonstrate its dominance and power, the war was complicated and extended.

In addition to the causes of World War 1, there were also several consequences of the war as well. World War 1 was more devastating and expensive than any other war since. The first war was the deadliest war. The guns used during the war were also more sophisticated than before. During this war, more than 9 million soldiers died, and more than 7 million men were left physically harmed for the rest of their life. Some of the consequences of World War 1 are socialism and a major loss in a community. Socialism is one of the major consequences of World War 1. Socialism is when the government takes care of the people in the community and the people are taken care of by the government through control. Some countries began to collapse under total war pressure which allowed socialist imperialists to seize power. Another consequence of World War 1 is losing most of the community of people. During World War I, 8 million people died. It was difficult to find anyone who did not lose someone in the war. Many other people were so badly injured and devastated that they took their own life.

It has always been implied that men have participated more in the economics of labor. However, the engaging role of women in labor has been disregarded due to the ideals of both gender distinctions. The following essay will identify the changing gender norms in economic production in the 20th century. This time of era recognized women as capable to be involved in the workforce. It will offer segments on the economic transformation women impacted, allowing others to oversee them in the working-class category.

The rise of women in the working class made a drastic change due to the norms that were implied by society. If anything, their involvement in the working class rose. The women who worked in the labor advertise consisted of commonly young and single, as restricted to those who were in the family unit in the late 19th to 1920s. Meanwhile, the role of single women entering the workforce was progressively inclining; the role of wedded women was declining. Claudia Goldin implies that even at its minimal, the role of wedded women was extensively higher than typically revealed. The women in labor were practically experienced with no guidance with a slight increase from formal human capital learning. Goldin investigates the detailed different clarifications for these changes, inferring that the impacts of basic determinants include the development of the administrate segment and education, which were delayed by the Great Depression, separation, and institutional constraint. It can be analyzed that in the 1920s women quite often left the workforce at marriage, albeit some in more unfortunate homes and among the more exceptionally taught didn’t. Considerable social disgrace with respect to crafted by spouses outside the home existed due in huge measure to the idea of the work. Occupations were frequently grimy, hazardous, redundant, and long in hours of the day and days of the week. At the beginning of the early 20th century wedded women in the workforce had a present-day work financial aspect. Female workers were important to business analysts due to social arrangement issues that include wage laws. One productive female who specialized in financial aspects, Edith Abbott, reminded her readers that lower-class women had always worked, if not in the market, then at home, and that they faced a life no different. Be that as it may, the ladies’ development, the principal ages of school ladies, and the drive for the establishment held the guarantee of genuine change for Abbott, who saw that white-collar class working ladies were leaving on a social upheaval.

The period of 1930 to 1950 occurred on account of a few reciprocal factors that were, in huge measure, exogenous to the female work supply. The most significant was the incredibly expanded interest for office and other administrative laborers, starting in the mid-1900s with the appearance of new kinds of data advancements, and the tremendous development in secondary school enlistment and graduation from 1910 to 1930. ‘The Historical Evolution of Female Earnings Function and Occupation’ by Goldin puts a portion of how female workers were utilized as clerical workers, but undoubtedly the number rose up. Goldin illustrates that across the nation it became evident that the number of graduations in high school rose. The increased amount of high school rates and clerical workers shows that it meant for women who were married and young to be in jobs that acquire a neat and clean environment that was considered appropriate and respectable. As more women became acknowledged in the workforce, the salary impact declined. Simultaneously, the substitution impact rose generously. Labor markets in the 21st century allow readers to understand how nonagricultural employment was changing in hours of work which identifies the issue of the substitution effect. It only means to show that the involvement of women placed diverse effects to create the scheduled times and hours that exist today. Another historian named Jeremey Greenwood underlined the norm of family units that innovated in expanding the labor of women to become interested in the appropriation rates of essential basics. It only comes to show that the scaled-down cost of these machines served to diminish ladies’ booking pay and increment the versatility of the total female work supply work. However, the information bases that the expansion of female workers began in the 1920s, which confounded the changes in the salaries and substitution effects by the implementation of women’s involvement. The involvement of wedded women entering the workforce showed a noteworthy number. The census of 1940 shows that the female work supply choices in specific situations in the family unit perspective. Paul H. Douglas investigates the different perspectives on labor supply between both genders, which leads to the theory that wedded women gained employment was negatively related to their husbands’ income. Douglas writes a book with Erika H. Schoenberg that also investigates the income effect along with the hourly wages during the 19th century. The following data gives the idea that if women either married or not, their income would have greatly decreased without their participation of them. The following year consisted of the 50s and 70s when the extension of women in labor remained. However, the participation of older women in the 40s increasingly grew. Goldin articulates the 50s as well in the changing responses to wages during that period.

The following decade was an expansion that continued the growth of women’s labor but consisted of colossal walks in present-day work financial aspects. Another piece of literature that is connected to Douglas is written by Clarence Long, which identifies the high number of women participating in the workforce, which can puzzle readers. Long was determined to capture the cross-segment gauges and the time arrangement information was to contend that the female work supply work moved outward and to investigate a portion of the reasons. A few years after, one author named Jacob Mincer recognizes and settled the paradox on the comparison between time and cross-section results that include the salary and substitution impacts. The next remaining years, such as the 80s, reflected on the impact women had made compared to men. Lillian B. Rubin puts together a comparative that shows how women have begun to earn more raises in the 80s after staying on the same level since the 50s.

Thus, all of this shows how historians in the 20th century acknowledged the impact women had in the workforce, even with so little evidence. It shows how women in the 20th century made an impact on the workforce, even with regard to gender roles.

Bibliography

1. Abbott, Edith. “The History of Industrial Employment of Women in the United States: An Introductory Study”. Journal of Political Economy 14, no.8 (1906).
2. Greenwood, Jeremy, Ananth Seshadri, and Mehmet Yorukoglu. Engines of Liberation. Rochester, NY: University.
3. Goldin, Claudia. “A Pollution Theory of Discrimination: Male and Female Differences in Occupations and Earnings”, 2002.
4. Goldin, Claudia. “Labor Markets in the Twentieth Century”, 1994.
5. Goldin, Claudia. “The Historical Evolution of Female Earnings Functions and Occupations”. Explorations in Economic History 21, no.1 (1984).
6. Goldin, Claudia. “Understanding the Gender Gap: An Economic History of American Women”. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1992.
7. Hicks, John. The Theory of Wages. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.
8. Long, Clarence Dickinson. The Labor Force under Changing Income and Employment. Ann Arbor Mich.: University Microfilms International, 1982.
9. Rubin, Lillian B. Families on the Fault Line Americas Working Class Speaks about the Family, the Economy, Race, and Ethnicity. New York, NY: HarperPerennial, 1998.
10. Schoenberg, Erika H., and Paul H. Douglas. “Studies in the Supply Curve of Labor: The Relation in 1929 Between Average Earnings in American Cities and the Proportions Seeking Employment”. Journal of Political Economy 45, no.1 (1937).
11. U.S. Bureau of the Census. Current Population Surveys. March. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1962–2004.
12. Jacob Mincer (1962). “Labor Force Participation of Married Women: A Study of Labor Supply”, NBER Chapters in Aspects of Labor Economics, pages 63-105, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

The 1980s was the most influential decade in the history of the United States because it changed the course of the U.S. through drugs, culture, and terrorism.

To set the scene for the 1980s, the Vietnam War had ended 5 years before 1980, resulting in an American loss. Anti-Communist sentiments were at a high, and the Cold War was at one of its many peaks before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the 80s were probably the most intense period of the Cold War. Problems in the Middle East were heating up once again, this time between Iraq and Iran. Furthermore, the Soviet Union had recently invaded Afghanistan resulting in yet another proxy war between the US and the USSR, simultaneously setting up the US for the War on Terror after we gave Jihadists American weapons to fight the Russians. The 80s was a cluster of new drugs, new diseases, new wars, and new technologies.

Cocaine had been recently “invented” in the jungles of Colombia by crushing coca leaves and mixing them with a myriad of chemicals to achieve the highly addictive white powder known as cocaine or crack. Cocaine is important to the story of America in the 80s because America was the prime destination for the new commodity. When cocaine hit the streets of America it became a #1 best-seller almost immediately; it soon replaced Marijuana, LSD, and other drugs that were formerly wildly popular in the 60s and 70s. As Cocaine became more and more popular in America, it took the form of crack in the inner cities. Crack was much cheaper than Cocaine, which separated the two drugs into different classes; pure Cocaine was for wealthy people with steady jobs, celebrities, millionaires, etc, while Crack was for lower middle-class people, people in inner cities with limited resources. This meant that anyone, rich or poor, could get their hands on Cocaine or Crack easily, thus destroying poor communities to this day. This transformation of the drug market can only be seen as negative because of the amount of destruction it did to countless Americans.

On a more positive note, things were looking up in the economic sector of America because of policies put into place by President Reagan. Before Reagan, the Energy Crisis of 1979 and the 1973 Oil Crisis plunged the US into a recession lasting until 1982. This coincided with Reagan’s steep cuts in domestic spending leading to minor problems within the republican party. After this minor recession, Reagan implemented economic policies dubbed “Reaganomics”. These policies cut regulations on business and encouraged free trade, while also encouraging future economic problems. His reforms were in part to blame for the 2008 Housing Crisis because of de-regulation. Social reforms of the 80s were plentiful, but the most notable was the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This epidemic put everyone on edge because anyone could get it, but people who were infected were stigmatized because of the stereotype that it was a “gay disease”. It took years for people to understand what AIDS was, AIDS can be spread through sexual contact, drug use, and birth, it is a virus that attacks the immune system and is currently un-curable. In 1984 the FDA licensed the first blood test for HIV which helped increase detection of HIV. The epidemic had a noticeable social impact because the disease was very common in the LGBT community, because of this, the FDA enacted regulations banning gay men from donating blood. During the 80s, politics shifted as they do periodically. The shift of the 80s was called “New Conservatism”, it consisted of a shift from a moderate, centrist identity within the republican party to a more extreme right-wing view which Reagan exemplified perfectly, propelling him to two terms in office.

At the turn of the decade, the American economy was in rough shape, the US had recently lost the Vietnam war only 5 years prior, and problems in the Middle East were intensifying yet again causing an Oil Crisis in 1979 that helped to lead the US into a recession that lasted until 1982. This inspired President Reagan to attempt to resolve America’s economic issues through his economic system “Reaganomics” which could be compared to trickle-down economics, where the flow of money starts at the top of society and then as it is spent flows downward towards the lower classes of people meaning that there was a large divide between the wealthy and poor. The economy of Reagan’s presidency affects us today because of the 2008 Housing Market crash which resulted from the loosening of financial regulations under Reagan. The 2008 recession caused many people to lose their homes, savings, and livelihoods. The economy was prevented from growing quickly because Europe was still under the chokehold of the USSR making it hard to export products to many countries.

One of the defining features of the 80s was its pop culture. Many famous movies and songs like “Back To The Future” and “Eye Of The Tiger” were released and became instant classics. MTV was established in 1981 and soon brought new music, music videos, and movies to anyone who had a TV. MTV was a pivotal piece of 80s culture because it shaped the landscape for similar platforms in the future like YouTube or perhaps Netflix which are as popular today as MTV was then. Another part of new pop culture is the place where it exists. Technology in the 80s advanced in tandem with the new culture providing us with the basic things we use every day such as personal computers, cell phones, video games, cable TV, and many more. These advancements allowed for the invention of the internet and the digital age that we currently live in to be possible.

The 1980s impacted what America has developed into today through culture, and technology, as well as social, political, and economic reforms and changes. It was the most important decade because it more significantly shaped our world today than any other decade before or after the aforementioned transformations.

During the mid-20th century the outbreak of war proved to devastate and influence the globe into a mass war effort publication to engage the public into supporting the cause to victory. Upon the intervention of the imperial air force on the attack of pearl harbour in 1941 the U.S was sprung into the 2nd world war. However, the U.S needed more social support for the war in Europe in the effort to prevent fascism from being the dominating ideology. In a bid to get the public approval and to sell more war bonds for the war effort the U.S focused on American cinema. From this essay I am going to focus on film content, industry operation, audience reception and portray how the out break of war affected these fundamentals of American cinema from a positive or negative outlook. The focus of this essay will be to obtain a clear notion of clarity into how or if the out break of war helped or hindered industry operation and if film content was entirely influenced by the U.S government’s intervention. The way I will conduct my analysis is by researching a variety of films made in this era such as ‘the great dictator’ (1940) but also divulge and back up my research from different authors who specialise in this field, such as Lewis Jacobs, Colin Shindler and Walter L. Hixson.

Film content during the 1930s was the start of the golden age in American cinema due to the introduction of sound and colour rolling into the screens of new blockbusters. the American culture was being uplifted towards motion pictures after the working class was the main demographic to cinema and the first daily newspaper for the film industry had its debut in 1930, The Hollywood Reporter. However, film content would ultimately change during the out break of war to focus on the war effort. Film content began to showcase numerous war related films to entice the American public with the reality of war being abrupt and realism to set in. this best quoted by author Lewis Jacobs in his book ‘world war 2 and American film’ when he states ‘until 1942,most Hollywood movies were escapist entertainment, which aimed to distract the spellbound public from agonizing radio and newspaper reports about the axis partners expansion in Europe’. one such film being ‘Casablanca’ (1942) which would be regarded as one of the best films ever made. Directed by Michael Curtiz bought some quintessential themes throughout the film. The most important being ‘Neutrality’ which is codified in Rick Blaine’s attempts to remain politically neutral become increasingly futile as the film goes on. As ilsa and Laszlo’s bring the conflict to Ricks attention, he has the option to help or stay neutral and of course helps the couple. This protagonist of ricks character is juxtaposing to the American intervention into mainland Europe and the Pacific. This then coordinates with the theme of ‘sacrifice’ with Ricks character as he is seen as an isolationist and is quoted by saying “I stick my neck out for nobody” however due to his love for Ilsa opens his heart and unlocks his heroic nature. His love for Ilsa is seen as Americas love for democracy and anti-fascism.

After the attack on pearl harbour president franklin Roosevelt focused his attention on Hollywood claiming that motion picture was the most effective medium of informing the nation. Claiming of a no government intervention on the production of films, by June 1942 after some bureaucratic reshuffle ‘the office of war information’ (IWO) was formed to be the watchdog on film media and output. A major film company that ratified its content to engage the war effort was ‘Disney’ which saw an influx of iconic cartoon characters being placed in war scenarios. The U.S government looked to Walt Disney more than any other studio chief as a builder of public morale providing instruction and training for sailors and soldiers. Disney was and still is a staple of American culture which changed its content from playful and slapstick antics to then propaganda and dark humour portrayal. One such film titled ‘Donald Duck goes to war’ (1944) which shows him learning how to fight efficiently in the Asian pacific. Another is ‘der Fuehrer’s Face’ (1943) which portrays Donald in “Nazi land” being worked to death and his life being dictated by Hitler. The main theme of this film is ‘demonization’ of the enemy but also ‘glorification’ of the U.S mainland and of its democratic ideology. The U.S government green lighted the use of anti-German and anti-Japanese themes to portray these countries and their leaders as manipulative without morals whilst keeping the humoristic traits which were stapled into Disney’s animation.

The out break of war affected all proportions of the united states but also had a major change onto the film industry operations. After president Roosevelt wanted to “emotionalize” the reality of war over sea’s, so did the transformation of Hollywood and awareness of war in feature length films. The economic prospects of war favoured massively for the movie industry after the eight major movie production companies temporally merged together known as ‘the big eights’ in view of the war effort. This venture combined with the pre-war defence build-up initiated an economic upturn meant that revenue and profits soared over the course of the war. from about $20 million in 1940 to $35 million in 1941 and the Big Eight’s combined profits neared $50 million in 1942 with a peak of 60 million in the last 3 years of the war. however, although business was booming the feeling of uncertainty and dislocation to the movie industry. From 1941-42 the U.s and allies were suffering in the pacific theatre resulting in wartime restrictions and shortages affecting every sector of the film industry. This was also affiliated with the complexities of Hollywood’s relationship with the government and armed forces at the time. This is best backed up from the book ‘Hollywood goes to war’ where upon it shows the magnitude of stress caused by the arrival of war with its quote ‘For although the war time intrusion of the government was new, censorship and coercion was as old as Hollywood itself’.

Hollywood’s greatest contribution to the war effort was morale. Many of the movies produced during the second world war were patriotic rallying cries that affirmed a sense of national purpose and pride for American society. Combat films of the war years emphasized patriotism, group effort, and the value of individual sacrifices for a larger cause, which in turn enticed people into believing that the U.S was the only superpower nation to stop fascism. To attract a wider demographic, war films would include a diverse group of men from different ethnic backgrounds as well as social backgrounds to ensure that there was relatability and unity being proscribed for audience reception. As well as men being focused into protagonist fighting roles, women were also targeted into feature length films as well. Many wartime films featured women characters playing an active role in the war by serving as combat nurses, riveters, welders, and long-suffering mothers who kept the home fires burning. After the feminist movement fell silent during the 1930s depression, this was the first-time women was having more professional roles in society bringing a women-based target audience more acquired. In many ways the outbreak of world war two affected gender roles in American cinema, moving away from the ‘femme fatale’ and ‘damsel in distress’ roles to impowering and respected positions on the big screen. This point is backed up by Andrea S. Walsh when she sates ‘The films popular amongst female audiences in this period portray a view of womanhood as; strong, maternal, and sisterly; desiring yet distrusting and angry towards men’. The film ‘His Girl Friday’ (1940) shows this beautifully by introducing themes of ‘ambition’ and ‘gender’ through the remarkable acting of actress Rosalind Russell.

In conclusion from the on set of war being brought to U.S doorstep, which had a knock-on effect from all quarters of the country which made no exception to the American film industry. Film content would have been changed forever with many of feature length films being acquired to inform and promote Americas foreign policy with the pacific theatre and Europe. This in turn would have had a knock-on effect with the industry operation economic bounds after the merging of ‘the big eight. After the outbreak of war, the audience reception would be altered to bring a sense of unity amongst the masses to put aside any ethnic or gender related differences to be put aside to focus the war effort. This is very significant due to the fact that without the adaptation to new film audience, it can be said that America would not of had as much support for their involvement in the war and may of resulted in complete withdrawal in Europe. However, the economic gains made by the major production companies gave more momentum and support for the technological advancements that preceded the years to come.

After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914 and until 1918, the First World War began. During the war, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the United States of America were dealt with by Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. World War 1 caused the death of over 17 million people as well as over 100,000 American Troops. While it is hard to pinpoint what caused the war, there are several things that happened prior to the war that are valid reasons as to why they are the causes of World War 1 as well as the consequences of World War 1.

Some of the causes of World War 1 are military, imperialism, as well as nationalism. The military is one of the main causes of World War 1. As the world began in the 20th century, an Arms Race began, which was mainly related to the number of warships in each country and their increasingly large armies which also caused countries to begin training their young men to prepare for battles. These wars began to increase in size as well as machines such as guns, increase in quality for protection, as well as speed. By 1914, Germany had almost 100 military vessels and 2 million soldiers trained. At this time, Britain and Germany both significantly increased their navies as well. Another cause of World War 1 is imperialism. Imperialism is when a larger country or government is becoming stronger by taking on poorer or weaker, resourceful countries. Imperialism is one of the main causes of World War 1 because there was a major competition between gaining empires as well as raw substances. Prior to World War I, in Africa and parts of Asia, several European countries had made rival imperialist claims, calling them arguments. This was a sum of the growing competition for bigger empires which led to diving into World War 1. The last main cause of World War 1 was nationalism. Nationalism is pure love and devotion to one’s country. Nationalism has led to not only the start but to the expanding war in Europe and Asia in many of the countries in Europe. Many countries started constructing their armies and marines. As each country tried to demonstrate its dominance and power, the war was complicated and extended.

In addition to the causes of World War 1, there were also several consequences of the war as well. World War 1 was more devastating and expensive than any other war since. The first war was the deadliest war. The guns used during the war were also more sophisticated than before. During this war, more than 9 million soldiers died, and more than 7 million men were left physically harmed for the rest of their life. Some of the consequences of World War 1 are socialism and a major loss in a community. Socialism is one of the major consequences of World War 1. Socialism is when the government takes care of the people in the community and the people are taken care of by the government through control. Some countries began to collapse under total war pressure which allowed socialist imperialists to seize power. Another consequence of World War 1 is losing most of the community of people. During World War I, 8 million people died. It was difficult to find anyone who did not lose someone in the war. Many other people were so badly injured and devastated that they took their own life.

Early Life and Beginnings of Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel was born in 1883 in France. After her mother’s death, Coco Chanel was put in an orphanage by her father at the age of 12. In the orphanage, Chanel was raised by nuns who thought her skills which is the reason she became a famous designer, they thought her how to sew. Before her career as a designer, she used to be a singer and would perform in clubs where she would be known as ‘Coco’. After her short singing career, Coco Chanel became a French designer. She was the founder of the brand ‘Chanel’ which is a very high-end fashion brand that creates designs for women. Not only did she make clothes for women, but she also created jewelry, handbags, and perfumes. Her signature scent Chanel No.5 is still very popular among people nowadays. Coco Chanel is a huge influencer, even for our modern-day society, especially for women. She showed people that no matter what background you may come from, it is possible to achieve your goals and dreams if you are determined and ready to work.

Coco Chanel was inspired at a young age and began to develop a passion for sewing during her time at the orphanage. She was taught by the nuns who worked at the orphanage. Once she knew how to sew, it became her hobby. One of the main reasons why Coco Chanel became a successful designer and managed to create a business was because of her two lovers called Etienne Balsan and his friend Arthur Capel who agreed to sponsor her business which allowed her to open her first shop Paris where she sold hats. Her designs were aimed at rich French women and eventually her name was spread around Paris and therefore she was able to gain more clients. She realized that she has found happiness designing hats and after some time, clothes. Her first success appeared after she started selling a dress and jewelry which created more profit for her business and therefore she was able to open a new shop in Deauville and Biarritz where she started creating even more of a variety of clothing.

Chanel’s Rise to Fame: The Opening of Her First Shop

One of the reasons as to why she is an influential individual is a fact that by 1917 which is four years after she had created her own brand, she became famous worldwide and her work was seen in British, French, and American Vogue. The fact that she was in a well-known fashion magazine, gave her the opportunity to be known as a woman designer not only in France but also abroad, this, therefore, increased her popularity as well as her brand. However, in the beginning, she designed simple dresses. She also offered women what were seen as traditional men’s clothing, such as jumpers, sailor jackets, and straight skirts. Her motive was that women should dress as they like and feel comfortable. This is impressive, especially in the 20th century because, during that time, women were still being repressed and not counted as equal to men. This inspires many modern-day women to achieve their goals within their careers. Chanel gave confidence to women and changed the way of how women viewed themselves. One of her quotes was “I wanted to give a woman comfortable clothes that would flow with her body. A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed” this quote allowed women to understand that they should not be listening to what society thinks is considered ‘normal’ or follow certain standards, especially since the society was mostly dominated by men. During the 20th century, it was seen as a problem for women to wear what could be considered as ‘men type clothing’ because women were being repressed and had to be seen as feminine not only with their manners and actions but also in the way they dress, for example, in 1919 a writer Luisa Capetillo was arrested and put in jail for wearing a man’s suit in public but the charges were eventually dropped. This shows how important it was for societies to make sure that women were dressed appropriately and met the standards of what was seen as ‘normal for women to wear and look like. One of the aspects which made Chanel stand out from other designers for women was the fact that she used the traditional men’s clothes and added a female touch which made women feel needed and wanted within the society. She made them feel appreciated by being a role model and showing that any woman can run their own business or take whichever career path they dream of. Not only was she idolized by many women, but she also motivated them in a way, especially with her unique designs which other designers were unable to copy. Of course, on the other hand, not all women were able to afford her clothes, only women from the upper class were able to wear her designs, this is a weakness because not all women were able to feel as confident as women from the upper class. Therefore, quite a large number of women were still being intimidated by society. The fact that Chanel influenced women is very important because not only could they show their individuality, but also gave them the chance to show society that they didn’t have to live by the rules that were expected from them. Not only did Coco Chanel inspire women in the 20th century, but she also continues to have an influence over women to this day.

Chanel’s Revolutionary Fashion: Empowering Women Through Design

Chanel influenced women in society. Women were no longer expected to look a certain way in society. They also began to feel more wanted within the community and were not able to do something to show that they are capable of working. Coco Chanel quotes that “a woman should be two things: who and what she wants” this quote shows us how she was striving to make women more powerful in society and give them a sense of belonging in the community. Her strong character motivated women to be more like her, she was viewed as an idol to women in the 20th century. Everyone viewed her rise to fame as a huge achievement, especially knowing what poor background she came from. Chanel used to live in an orphanage. Many women praised her work from the very beginning “I shan’t buy a thing without showing her. That child’s got more taste than the rest of us put together” stated Kitty De Rothschild. Many people believe that when Chanel was taken to the orphanage, she fell into shock which caused her to become rebellious due to the fact that she was abandoned by her own father. Coco Chanel stated that “they’ve taken everything away from me and I am dead. I knew that when I was twelve. You can die more than once in your life, you know”. The fact that not only was Chanel an orphan and had to deal with her own father neglecting her, she was also clearly very emotionally unstable. Being able to move past that and start her own fashion brand is not just inspiring for others, it’s also a remarkable achievement. Some might say that her past very much influenced her career because she wanted to show the world and prove to herself that she was capable of bringing something new to the fashion industry and making women feel happy and satisfied with themselves. She impacted society by giving a wider range of clothing designs available to women. By creating new trends for women, allowed them to have more opportunities, for example, when pants were designed for women, they were able to ride horses without feeling uncomfortable. Chanel was the idol of her time, she stated “if I cut my hair, others did. If I shortened my dresses, so did everyone else. This proves that women were becoming more and more confident by following her trends. Another way how Chanel influenced society, especially women were by moving on from corsets which were obliged for women to wear, to more comfortable clothes, which was counted as revolutionary. Her brand was also famous for creating the little black dress, which is still seen as fashionable nowadays. Before the color black was seen as a dull, mourning color, however, Chanel changed that and showed that the color black is could be seen as elegant and very feminine if it is worn right.

Not only did she make an influence in fashion, but also in she was seen in literacy and other artistic domains. People used Chanel to add more fame to their business. Chanel met Samuel Goldwyn who was a famous Hollywood producer. He tried to persuade Chanel to design costumes for him by offering $1,000,000 US dollars. He was amazed by her clothing designs and therefore was eager to see what she would design for his productions. Even costumes were influential around the world. Those designs that were worn by famous actresses such as Claudette Gilbert and Marlene Dietrich were inspiring for women, especially since they were worn in romantic films which were very popular. Goldwyn also believed that by having Chanel design his costumes, she would also be able to advertise her brand and have it well known not only in Europe but also in America. After some time, she agreed to his deal. However, the 1929 Wall Street Crash has seriously affected the French fashion industry. Americans were having difficulties with travelling to Europe since it was too expensive, therefore this required Chanel to cut her prices and to start using cheaper materials and unfortunately staff cuts were also made within her business which slowed her production. By 1931, the crisis made the exports of French clothing drop by half, which was damaging for Chanel and her brand. However, these difficulties didn’t stop her from continuing what she loved to do most. Which is seen as inspiring to some people. It was also stated that there were no fakes sold of Chanel’s designs which made her business easier and she didn’t have to deal with other individuals stealing her ideas and having to have competition with a cheaper version of her designs which could have harmed business knowing that the cheaper version would be more affordable and therefore more women would be able to buy it.

Coco Chanel wouldn’t have made it without Goldwyn within his industry. He made sure she had enough staff, she had over 100 workers working for her and a wardrobe department with professional facilities for her to work. her first project t was the musical ‘Palmy Days’, Chanel had the chance to design a dress for a famous actress called Barbara Weeks. She was also able to travel back to Paris to help out in ‘Tonight or never. The actress called Gloria Swanson was the lead actress, she was described as “tiny, almost bird boned” during one of the fittings. Over a few weeks, she noticed that she started to gain weight due to an unexpected pregnancy. Coco Chanel wasn’t happy, in fact, she was furious that Gloria Swanson gained weight. This is controversial to what Chanel aspired women to be, she wanted them to feel comfortable with themselves yet she was furious to know that Swanson gained weight. Chanel quoted “take off the girdle and lose five pounds. Five pounds. No less”. This is an unhealthy representation of how women should be in society, this is contrasted with how women have represented our society nowadays, many fashion brands have plus-size models which is becoming more of a trend, whereas in the 20th century this would have been unacceptable.

Iconic Designs and Lasting Influence: Chanel’s Enduring Legacy

Other items which were designed by Coco Chanel which became very famous, were the boy bag, the quilted bag, Chanel two-toned shoes, the Breton top, tweed jacket, and the Chanel suit. Each had its own history with Chanel, however, most items were inspired by men’s fashion. The boy bag is a tomboy-type bag that was designed by using menswear. She was inspired by the love of her life, Boy Capel. However, after all these years, Karl Lagerfeld was the one man which was the main reason why the bag was created. To this day, this bag is one of the classics of the Chanel brand and is still very popular among women. Another bag that is also a classic to this day is the quilted bag. A client of hers wasn’t sure about the new design that Coco Chanel created, but eventually, this became fashionable. This bag was made for the elite women of society, this is sown by the straps which made sure that the woman’s hands were free, she believed that carrying a clutch wasn’t comfortable and this was also a breakthrough in fashion, even though it was just a slight change of design, it became very trendy and women moved on from the old-fashioned styles. At that time, women tended to carry champagne glasses, tickets, leaflets, however, this was only among the upper-class women. Chanel’s two-tone shoes were also a major breakthrough in fashion. Many celebrities were seen wearing them such as Catherine Deneuve and Bridgette Bardot, this was more of a promotion of her design to other women, especially since other influential women in society were wearing them. Because the shoes were two-toned, it was much easier for women to match them with any possible outfit which was counted as ‘revolutionary’ to some people. These shoes were also very flattering for women’s feet, the white made the legs look longer and the black made the feet look smaller. many women were happy with the design due to the fact that some, may have had insecurities with their feet and this was yet another boost for their confidence. The Breton was inspired by the sailor’s look (shown by the stripes on the top), this top was loved worldwide, especially since famous celebrities wore it, for example, Brigitte Bardot, Edie Sedgwick, and Alexa Chung. Even though this top had a plain design, it was still a revolutionary design for women as they began to wear more casual clothing. The tweed jacket was also a classic design that Chanel had in her collection. This jacket was also, inspired by menswear, but more specifically, by her boyfriend’s clothing. This item of clothing is still famous around the world, the tweed continues jacket shows sophistication, even after 100 years. Chanel also created the first suit for women. This suit was made out of fused tweed which also gave a masculine but also a feminine look. This suit was very successful and was featured in the Vogue magazine and was remembered by many as it was worn by John F Kennedy’s wife at the time her husband was killed.

A separate item that was designed by Coco Chanel is the number 5 perfume. This perfume has become known worldwide and is still very popular in our society. It seems to have become a breakthrough in the perfume market in the 20th century. It stood out from other perfumes due to its abstract, unusual scent. Most perfumes for women were flowery scents which mostly consisted of flowers such as rose and jasmine, whereas this perfume had aldehydes that gave off a slight champagne scent. Even though there was an accidental overdose with the aldehydes, but that’s what made the scent so unique. The fact that the perfume was different compared to other fragrances, made women curious, the unique texture of it made this fragrance popular at a very high rate.

Coco Chanel: A Trailblazer in Women’s Fashion and Feminism

Feminism is another major aspect of Chanel’s role in society. By inspiring women around the world, and giving them more clothing design options, allowed them to be freer. The sense of feminism carried on through the 20th century when women were finally allowed to vote. The word feminism means equality within economic, political, social, and personal goals for both genders. Chanel gave more of an insight as to what problems women faced within their society. Some might say that Chanel was one of the main individuals who ignited women to become more aware of the misogyny going on within their society. Even after Chanel died, her ideas stayed with women as they fought for their own rights and equality. Even now her brand is still continuing to grow and is still very famous and is still counted as one of the most unique brands for women. People used to call Chanel ‘Grand Mademoiselle’ of the fashion industry. The fact that she was known for being the best designer already proves that she will have influence over many people seeing as she is powerful not only within the fashion industry but in society as well.

Chanel During World War One: Adapting Fashion to Changing Times

World War One is a big example where Coco Chanel showed her influence in society through fashion. Not only did people view her designs as something fresh and new during this time, but also important because fashion was also a male-dominated industry. Chanel was seen as a woman that opened doors to new fashion trends, her designs were unusual and modern at that time, which made her stand out from other designers. However, at the same time, many wealthy people decided to stop wearing flashy jewelry “shy away from precious jewelry, which had an unpleasant association with the unpatriotic, inappropriate frivolity of the4 wives of war profiteers” said Mulvagh. This could’ve caused a few difficulties for Chanel because one of her main aspects of the brand is jewelry, but she managed to still make designs suitable for women during wartime. During the mid-20s, Chanel had her own signature look which was known as ‘Chanel look’ which was a wool jersey suit with a plain jacket. She also wore skirts that were cut short and her hair was often put up with bobby pins as she wore her sailor hat. This look was not the traditional clothing option women were expected to wear, which made it eye-catching and trendy.

Controversies and Political Stances: Chanel’s Complex Legacy

During the Second World War, Chanel closed all her shops which ended up with around 4,000 women losing their jobs. Chanel was also very clear about her political views at the time, she believed that Jews were a threat to Europe. Not only was she anti-Semitic, but was also in love with a Nazi officer called Hans Günther which proves her support for the Nazis during the war. She also worked for Nazis in Madrid to show her encouragement. During that period of time, it may have seemed normal to state such an opinion and may not have affected the way people looked at her, however, the war divided many countries among themselves which meant that many people just didn’t think it was the right moment to be worrying about fashion. Also, due to the different political opinions within countries, it may have been difficult for women to look up to Chanel as their political opinions contradicted and therefore perhaps her sales were also negatively affected by this, however, it could also mean that women perhaps agreed with her opinion because she was viewed as an idol. This is counted as an influence on society, however, this is definitely not positive encouragement for people. She also stated that “war is no time for fashion” which meant that she closed down her shops during the war.