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Many women’s lives changed in various ways during World War II. Women were mobilised in very different manners in the United States and Nazi Germany. The role of women was a contested aspect of the war as perceptions of women’s roles at the time were influenced by ideas and propaganda. In the United States, with a lot less men in the workforce, women were compelled to take on jobs that were primarily done by men both in the workforce and at home. Whereas Nazi Germany, especially Hitler, had very contrasting views regarding the role of women during World War II compared to the USA. During this time, Hitler believed that women were to look after the children and be good wives. Propaganda presented to women in the United States of America reflected the need for women to be liberated and serve the country. While on the other hand, German propaganda largely demonstrated the need for women to take care of their families. In America, due to the wide range of new work opportunities that had never been available to women before, their lives were transformed. On the contrary, it is important to recognise Hitler’s belief that women must not work and must be good wives and take care of the children did not benefit women in the way that the opportunities presented to women in the United States did. Many women were so grateful for this new opportunity that when men returned from the war, they were replaced by the men and lots of women started feeling useless as they were no longer serving their country. Over time, the mobilisation of women during World War II had an effect on deciding whether or not women and men should be equals inside and outside or the workforce, which is a relevant topic today.
In the United States of America and Nazi Germany, the role of women was a contested aspect of the war due to different beliefs and use of propaganda. The United States mobilised women by sending them to war and giving them many jobs in the military such as nurses, radio operators, truck drivers and airplane repairers. Other than factory and home front jobs, approximately 350,000 women accompanied the Armed Services, serving both abroad and at home. Some women served close to the front lines in the ANC (Army Nurse Corps) where 16 were killed due to direct enemy fire. When the men left for war, women took over household jobs such as fixing the car and managing finances. During World War II, the percentage of American women working outside in the workplace increased from 25% to 36%. In the United States, Rosie the Riveter was used as propaganda to help encourage women to take up jobs that men would generally do and inspired them to enter the work industry (Source 1). Using Rosie as propaganda resulted in a 57% increase of female workers from 1940-1944. This resulted in the number of women factory workers to increase to about 20 million. Rosie the Riveter was a figure who the government used to portray this, she was feminine yet tough. The poster depicts Rosie as a hardworking woman yet she still looks very feminine. Propaganda like this was used to assure men that women would not become too masculine due to them working and taking over their jobs.
By contrast, Nazi Germany, and especially Hiter, had very distinct views regarding the role of women while men were at war. The key idea that Hitler made very obvious was kinder, küschen, kirche, (children, kitchen, church) which aimed to control women’s lives and their contribution to the country. Hitler advanced the significance of a steady, customary family. Men were to be in control and protect their family while women were to serve and look after their family. He believed that women belong in the household and raise children so as to achieve a future of the Aryan race. Hitler had a firm belief that those with blonde hair and blue eyes were superior to those of other races. However, women were not strictly housebound and often served as teachers, nurses and welfare workers. These were common jobs that were usually performed by women unlike the women of the United States who took over jobs that were done by men. Dissimilar to different nations, such as the United States, that urged women to go into battle, Nazi Germany constrained ladies into a childbearing part to create the next generation of male soldiers. Propaganda was also used in Nazi Germany to promote the supremacy of the Aryan race and the role of women. Unlike the propaganda in the United States, German propaganda advocated that the role of women was to stay at home and look after the children. As can be seen in the poster Mother of Volk (mid 1930s), there is a woman nursing her child of the Aryan race (Source 2). The text in this piece of propaganda translates to “support the assistance program for mothers and children.’ This poster is promoting a Nazi charity organisation. It demonstrates the role of women as caring mothers and the ideal physical appearance consisting of blonde hair and blue eyes that Hitler was determined to make superior. It is evident that Hitler did not want German women becoming masculine if they were to take over the jobs done by men.
Furthermore, in America, World War II gave women many opportunities in the workforce that were never open to them before the war and thus transformed their lives. 5 million women joined the workplace between 1940 and 1945.More than 25,000 women applied to join the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). Only 1,803 applicants were accepted and just 1,074 completed the required training. The role of the WASPS was to fly planes from factories to military bases. Meda Montana Hallyburton Brendall was a single mother who worked as a welder, seven days a week, during World War II. According to Bendall, an important aspect was that “it’s a good thing that women went [to war]” and “it’s a good thing that they showed the world that they can do things too”. Bendall raises a good point in how allowing women to work during the war helped them to show the world that it is not only men who can do things and that women are just as capable. Additionally, prior to this time it was thought that women were inferior and could not complete jobs that were only considered suitable for men. Violet Hill Askins Gordon was an African American woman who served in the WAC (Women Army Corps). Gordon said that “the Army pushed her in a positive direction” and that her “experiences in the WAC changed her from a shy, introspective person into a leader”. It is clear that the women who served in and outside of the war got a good insight into what it was like to serve your country and experience new things. These jobs helped women to grow and use the skills that they acquired. Women’s employment rates increased during WWII from 5.1 million in 1939 to over 7.25 million in 1943. Giving women the opportunity to go into the workforce helped them to feel as though they were serving their country and what they were doing was having a great effect on the success of their country.
Overtime, the way both countries mobilised women had an impact on deciding whether or not men and women should be considered equals inside and outside of the workplace. In the United States, during World War II, the working conditions for women were quite harsh and were paid up to $23 less than men. To this day, women are paid 19% less compared to men. Around the world, men are still seen as the ones who should work and it is sometimes seen as abnormal if a father does not work in the workforce while his wife does. The way Germany and the United States of America utilised their women has sculpted the idea of what the role of women is. Some countries see that women belong at home and in the kitchen while others believe that women have the right to have jobs and should be able to work. However, women are still regularly paid less than men even when they are completing the same job. Equality between men and women is still a contested aspect of society today. There are many situations in everyday life that demonstrate the superiority of men compared to women. Also displayed today is the stereotype that women don’t work outside of the house and should stay at home and look after the children and prepare meals. This view of women was portrayed in Nazi Germany during World War II which clearly shows that this topic is still a contested part of society in the present.
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