President Roosevelt wearing a black armband in memory of the victims of the Pearl Harbor attack signs the declaration of war on Japan The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor caught the entire nation off guard Although US relations with Japan had been sour for some time no one expected Japan to attack the Hawaiian Islands But on that fateful day in early December Japanese planes dropped bombs on the unprepared American forces for two hours More than 2 000 soldiers died and more than 1 000 sustained
Fortunately the most important ships in the US Navy's fleet the aircraft carriers were spared as they were away from the base during the devastating attack This fact provided the navy and the nation with a glimmer of hope that it would be able to rebound from the attack relatively quickly On the next day December 8 the United States declared war on Japan Once again Americans crowded around their radios to listen as Roosevelt addressed he nation No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory Roosevelt said It was CLASSIFICATION 3A official the United States was now a nation After the United States declared war on Japan at war young American mothers held tightly to one hope that their husbands would be overlooked GEARING UP TO FIGHT for military service under a 3A classification Two years earlier in 1939 the US Congress When the United States got involved in the war had set aside 552 million for national in late 1941 men with young children could be deferred from military service under the terms defense Then in September 1940 of this classification In 1943 however when the Congress instituted the Selective Training government needed more men to fill the ranks and Service Act requiring all men ages armed forces fathers previously deferred 21 to 36 to register for the military draft under 3A were now eligible for the draft All drafted men were to report for duty sithin weeks of receiving notificatio induction With funds already reserved for the war effort and the draft in place the United States was able to respond quickly to the attack on Pearl Harbor War preparations were kicked into high
During World War II nearly 39 percent of the men and women in the armed forces volunteered to serve on their own account Over the next several months mothers wives sweethearts sons and daughters would make the early morning trek to the platform at the nearest train station to say tearful good byes to loved ones who were joining the ranks By the end of the war 10 million American servicemen would head off to the war front More than 400 000 of those would never return leaving wives and sweethearts back home to figure out how to build new lives on their own AMERICAN WOMEN ANSWER THE CALL The women left behind however did not sit by idly and wait for the war to end By necessity the war pushed American women who had previously not worked out their front doors and into service for the war effort forever changing their role in society As factories around the country retooled to produce wartime necessities during World War II more than 400 000 women left the home to begin manufacturing weapons ammunition ships planes and other supplies needed on the front lines For the many women who had already worked outside the homeſ mainly unmarried middle and working class women the war opened up opportunities for heavy industrial jobs These positions offered better pay than the jobs that were traditionally available to women at the time such as positions at textile plants or food processing plants African American women who had previously been limited to housekeeping and child care positions were now able to find work in wartime factories or the armed
Oh A woman in Fort Worth Texas operates a machine that makes parts for military
