Role Of Wemon In War
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The Role of Woman in War
Period 6
4/12/08
Woman in the World Wars served many different purposes. A lot of women who served in WW1 also served in WW2 as well. A majority of the women enlisted when the war came, because they had no where else to turn, and they did this to help support there families. However there were still many women that did not enlist and stayed hoe and worked in factories. As soon as the women arrived at the bases; they were spread throughout different areas. Some were on land; in the air, or out to sea. However back home it was not easy either, women stayed there to teach, nurse, and work in factories. Certainly those women had to go through a lot, in order to be appreciated by men. In fact by the time the war was over six million women were in civilian work; while another 450,000 women were working in the military. There were multiply establishment which women established; the Woman Land Service (WLA) along with the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS), as well as the Woman’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF).
At the beginning of the WW2 there was a lot of confusion. For instance, many women growing up did not see themselves going to war. Although for some there was no choice. For the majority of women, they had just finished schooling and had no where else to turn, plus they had to provide for themselves as well as their families. Considering minimum wage was 60-90 cents an hour, watching what you spent was a main priority considering money was tight. Women needed to start working and bringing more money home. they also wanted to proveto men that they are not just housewives. In late 1941 and early 1942 about 36% of women were working outside of the house . A lot of women also volunteered in the war because they had no where else to go after schooling. Shortly after organizations were beginning to form all around the nation, the first Women’s Army Corps (W.A.C.) began in Iowa; applicants had to be between the ages of 21 and 45, at leased 3 foot tall and over 100 pounds. Most of these women were applying not knowing that they had almost no chance. In other words there were over 30,000 women who applied, but there were only 1,000 opportunities were open to the W.A.C , this shows that women were willing to take risks to fight for there country.
There were many different organizations that came together as the war began. The W.A.C, W. A. A. F. (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force), W. R. N. S. (Women’s Royal Naval Service) and other voluntary groups back home were just some of these organizations. Immediately as the war progressed, organizations were forming everywhere. Early July 1939 the W.L.A. war reformed along with most orginizations. The government tried to make out to the women that the war was going to be glamorous to encourage the women to join. But actually it was miserable and something that no women should experience. Many of the women within the W.L.A. worked around farms, keeping them running while the men were off at war. They did this wail living in cottages without electricity, gas or running water . There was a chose for women though, it was ether they worked in the service or they worked in factories. Another organization that began recruiting as the war progressed was the W.A.A.F. Women were taught to become pilots, mechanics, bomb plotters and radio operators. Along with that they were secret agents and involved with entertainment. Of 820 pilots about 120 of them were women, an yet they had less crashes then men. However women could not be pilots having direct combat with the war; instead they were pilots to transport supplies. Most women were seen piloting aviators, and Ferrier’s, as opposed to being taught to target incoming bombers and war units at the radio operating head quarters. Women had to accept any jobsthey were asked to do to be approved by men. In the S.O.E., women where used as secret agents as a disguise, because no one really feared women. this was a significant contribution by the women in the military because they helped win the war by transporting goods and supplies while in there act of secret agents, Along with the women who were booming in the entertainment business, having more opportunities to show everyone that women were capable of doing it all. Along with that there were more orginizations forming such as; the W.A.C., which expanded from 1943 until the war ended, filling up to 100,000 women members. They first arrived in July of 1944 on the beaches of Normandy ready for combat. As the W.A.C. was involved with flying over sea, the W.R.N.S. was actually in the sea. Mainly the W.R.N.S. you would train, cook, clean and learn to sail in order for the men on the boats to get some rest. This was another contribution, women supported men by giving them breaks by filling in there places. They also did al the men’s chores on the ship (cleaning, cooking, ect.).Most women involved with combat in war, were from foreign countries. It seemed as if outside countries had no concern that women were being killed on the front lines of the battle field, by doing this many children lost there mothers and had to live in orphan homes. Therefore most women for the US stayed home fulfilling the jobs of their husbands or fathers. Women were filling up jobs left behind from men who helped support their country in battle.
Back home, everything was not as easy ass it seemed. If some women could not go to war or decided that they had to contribute to the war effort by staying home and working in place of men. It was complete chaos; women were doing jobs that they were never able to do before. Still the women were proving themselves by overcoming obstacles thrown at them. Women filled up multiply factories at there fullest. Factory manager were eager to recruit women; especially those willing to solder steel, load ammunition, and