Figure 1.--Part of the answer to the labor shortage resulting from America's industrial mobilization was women. About 3 million workers were sdded to the workforce. In addition, women already in the work force shiftef to better paying industrial jobs previously held by men. HerevMrs. Viola Sievers, one of the wipers at the roundhouse gives a giant H class locomotive a steam bath in Clinton, Iowa during April 1943. Before the War it would have been almost incoceivabl;e for women to do jobs like this. Photo by Jack Delano.

The American answer to filling vacancies in the work force was to hire 1) women, 2) youth, and 3) minorities. Even with conscription, the United States increased the work force from 56 nillion (1939) to 65 million (1945) an increase of nearly 10 million workers. This number, however, understates the American indiusdtrial mobilization. It soes not measure the number of people already in the work force, but not employed in industrial factories. A major part of America's industrial mobilization was shifting workers into the industrial work force. All of these groups were in part motivated by patriotism, but well paying factory jobs were also a powerful inducement drawing these groups into the work force. There was a fourth sourse of workers. In some cases the military used its people in key industries or allowed draftees to return to the labor force after basic training.

Women

About a quarter of Anerican women (12.8 milliom) worked outside of the home. Many of these women were low-income workers, employed in poorly paid menial jonbs, and worked out of economic neccesity. Employment for women expanded significantly during the War. Many of the new jobs were in factories and paid good wages. At the peak of war productuion (July 1944), approximately 19 million women were employed in some aspect of war production. Significantly many of these women had not worked before the War and were employed in good paying jobs. This included both young women and married women. Many factories set up day care centers to accomodate women with small children. Women had worked in factories before, especially mills. During the War, women were hired for jobs that had previously only been done by men. Rosy the Riviter became an icon of the American home front. The number of women in the labor force is often exagerated. Less thn 3 million additional women entered the labor force during the War, important not massive. And the proprtion od women workers did not change massively because the work force itself expanded. A major development during the War was that many women changed jobs. Before the War, much of the female work force was engaged in a variety of menial jobs or as domestic servants. These were all low-paying jobs and unproductive in industrial terms. During the War many of these women found factory jobs in America's booming industries. This provided both critically needed manpower, but much higher paying jobs. To accomodate women workers, many companies set up day care facilities for their children.

Youth

It was not just mom in the form of Rosy the Riveter that went to work during the War. Sometimes older children worked part time along with their mothers to support their families. Child labor laws were suspended or modified during the war in many states. Even in factories it was common to see boys of 16 and 17 years of age working. Many youths were employed in farm jobs, but about 0.5 million worked in defence plants. Some plants hired youths on a part-time basis so that they could continue school. Many found it difficult to work and attend school at the same time. Teen age worked increased by about 2.0 million during the War, but school enrollment declined by nerarly 1.3 million. Millions of children between the ages of 12-17 years were employed in a wide range of jobs. Children were also used in agriculture, a critical area, but one particularly impaired by the labor shortage. Children, especially teenagers, were used during the harvest. In some rural areas, school was closed so that the students could help bring in the harvest.

Minorities

Jobs were opened to minorities, especially blacks, who were formerly excluded from many jobs. President Roosevelt issued an executive order guaranteeing that minorities would have access to jobs in defense industries. As a result, an important pool of previously under utilized labor was added to the American work force.

Miliary

It was a relatively simple matter to draft men for military service. It was a more complicated matter to train them and ship them overseas. Really large American troop commitments did not occur until the D-Day Invasion (June 1944) when large American infantry formations were committed to battle against the Germans. Thus during 1942-43, the military had large numbers of men on its hand with no way of effectively utilizing them. Even before this, the Army had begun transferred soldiers to temporary civilian status in the Enlisted Reserve Corps. This provided workers needed by industry to expsnd production, They returned to work in essential industry. As they had received basic military training, they could be called back to active duty if the Army needed them. Some were actually discharged if their civilian jobs were particularly important.

Created: 4:03 AM 9/6/2010
Last updated: 4:03 AM 9/6/2010