That’s Just The Way It Is
Posted: Saturday, July 14, 2007
by David Tanguay
I’ve been trying to make sense of it all, all my life. When my childhood questions were mostly answered with “that’s just the way it is." well those answers didn’t satisfy my will to know why it is like it is. What I am of course referring to is our way of life in society. Playing store with my younger brother as kids pretending to buy products with the exchange of play money for play products. Oh sure this game was fun to an extent playing the role of well adjusted citizens carrying on the accepted way of life through what we have learned to be the free enterprise system or capitalism.
Now when we began our educational years this is where all the confusion begins. Of course, the first few years of schooling we naturally accepted without questioning the system for again we naturally believed that the rules were instilled by some sort of supreme power in which we had no control of or any say over. For indeed these rules and laws established by our government were supposedly the truth in which we were to live our lives by without question
I was born in the year 1948 three years after World War II ended. My father was too old to serve during the war for being married and already having seven children to raise at the beginning of the war. However most of my friend’s fathers served during the war, and I heard my share of war stories.
Although in my solitude occasionally I’d ponder on the war when hearing how much money the war cost (putting an emphasis on the cost) I couldn’t seem to get it through my inquisitive mind why money should play an important role in the war effort. I would say to myself if the war was for such a great cause why should we have to pay our own fellow citizens money for the essentials such as ammunition, food for the troops, only to mention a fraction of the necessities required for fighting a war. I would also say to myself why didn’t all he people unite and work together without even the thought of money being a factor.
These questions were answered with a little research into the history of the war. Of course, the people did unite and work together in the war effort the unemployment problem ended in the United States with the beginning of World War II, as stepped up wartime production created millions of new jobs, and the draft pulled young men out.
In the United States, women also joined the workforce to replace men who had joined the forces, though in fewer numbers. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated that the efforts of civilians at home to support the war through “personal sacrifice" was as critical to winning the war as the efforts of the soldiers themselves. "Rosie the Riveter" became the symbol of women laboring in manufacturing. The war effort brought about significant changes in the role of women in society as a whole. Upon the end of the war, many of the munitions factories simply closed. Other women were replaced by returning veterans. However most women who wanted to continue working did so.
First, women took on many paid jobs in temporary new munitions factories, and in old factories that had been converted from civilian products like automobiles. This was the "Rosie the Riveter" phenomenon.
Woman working on a Vengeance dive-bomber (1943)
Woman aircraft worker checking assemblies (1942)
Second, they filled many traditionally female jobs that were created by the war boom as waitresses, for example. Third, they broke into jobs that had almost always been held by men such as bank teller or shoe salesperson. Nearly a million women worked as so called "government girls" taking job in the federal government, mainly in Washington, DC, that had previously been held by men or were newly created to deal with the war effort. In general, when they replaced men they came with fewer skills. Industry retooled its machine jobs so that unskilled workers (women and men too) could handle them. (This opened many jobs for men who had been unemployed in the 1930s). Some unions tried to maintain the same pay scale as men had because they expected men to resume their jobs after the war.
Married women continued their usual household duties and added the new role of full-time worker. After 1945, they gave up their jobs and became housewives again. Historians also debate how much of that was voluntary and how much was involuntary.
“Volunteer activities"
Women staffed millions of jobs in community service roles, such as USO and Red Cross.
“Propaganda and culture"
The media cooperated with the federal government in presenting the official view of the war. All movie scripts had to be pre-approved, but there was no direct censorship of radio, newspapers or magazines.
World War II posters helped to mobilize a nation. Inexpensive, accessible, and ever-present, the poster was an ideal agent for making war aims the personal mission of every citizen. Government agencies, businesses, and private organizations issued an array of poster images linking the military front with the home front--calling upon every American to boost production at work and at home. Deriving their appearance from the fine and commercial arts, posters conveyed more than simple slogans. Posters expressed the needs and goals of the people who created them. By definition, wartime posters are naturally propagandistic, but most WW II posters were merely patriotically so. Some, however, resorted to gross racial and ethnic caricatures of the enemy, sometimes as hopelessly bumbling cartoon characters, sometimes as evil, half-human creatures. Both the National Archives and Northwestern University have extensive collections of WW II posters accessible online that contain many examples of posters of the era in regard to the use of propaganda, both subtle and patriotic, and blatantly anti-German and Japanese.
A strong area of American culture even then was a fascination with celebrities, and many stars of Hollywood and radio gave service above and beyond the call in the donation of their time for everything from being Civilian Defense marshals to making personal appearances at War Bond drives. Bonds were the money that financed the war, and Bond drives where celebrities appeared were always very successful. Several stars were responsible for personal appearance tours that netted multiple millions of dollars in bond pledges - an astonishing amount in 1943.
The public paid roughly 2/3 of the face value of a war bond, and received the full face value back after a set number of years. While this may have represented a rather unspectacular interest rate, the government has never defaulted on payment of a single mature bond.
People were challenged again and again to put "at least 10% of every paycheck into Bonds". Compliance was very high, with entire factories of workers earning a special flag to fly over their plant if all workers belonged to the "Ten Percent Club". There were seven major War Loan drives, all of which exceeded their goals. An added advantage was that citizens who were putting their money into War Bonds were not putting it into the home front wartime economy. There was a job for anyone who wanted one during the war, most of them well paid. Personal income was at an all-time high, and more and more dollars were chasing fewer and fewer goods to purchase. This was a recipe for economic disaster that was largely avoided because Americans - cajoled daily by their government to do so - were also saving money at an all-time high rate, mostly in War Bonds, but also in private savings accounts and insurance policies.
“Economic mobilization"
Financier Bernard Baruch
Baruch advocated the creation of a permanent “super agency" similar to his old Industries Board. Thus, Baruch proposed to freeze economic freedom during war in order to preserve it for peace. His approach enhanced the role of civilian businessmen and industrialists in determining what was needed and who would produce it. Baruch's ideas were largely adopted, with James Byrnes appointed to carry them out.
Baruch was a consultant on economic matters and proposed or supported a number of measures including a pay-as-you-go tax plan as proposed by Beardsley Rum and worked out by Milton Friedman and Rent control.
Leaders like Roosevelt who stated the efforts of civilians to make “personal sacrifices" were as critical in winning the war as the soldiers themselves. Also men like Bernard Baruch who argued that in modern war: there was little room for free enterprise. He said Washington must control all aspects of the economy and that both business and unions must be subservient
Baruch advocated the creation of a permanent “super agency" Thus Baruch proposed to freeze economic freedom during war His approach enhanced the role of civilian businessmen and industrialists in determining what was needed and who would produce it.
My question is why only implementing this strategy in war. What we need in government is a strong hand in Washington to rule with a mutual agreement in congress. Hey let’s stop asking only the common true blue Americans who do all the work to sacrifice what little they have what about the cooperate giants who sit back and spit on the working class. Who have the politicians eating out of their hands. What about throwing these legal criminals (crooks who rob us by legal means) behind bars where they belong.
Yes, I’m still trying to make sense if it all however the older I get the wiser I get. in addition, the more I see the problem with our great nation has always been with the almighty dollar we have come to, choose to respect, and adore. In today’s world, everybody wants to be on top of the social hierarchy for they simply believe they are above the rest of us fools who try to live by the rules. They must put themselves above the ordinary by becoming the source of the problem rather than the solution.
Wake up America from your phony and hypocritical front to the bare and essential facts facing us. The old time version of reality is still with us for the sole reason we refuse to change it for the better. We only want to be a part of the madness so long as we are on the winning side right or wrong. Only to be on the winning side is wrong and the easy way out by satisfying one’s personal and selfish lives. ‘Live for today and the hell with tomorrow seems to be the accepted logo we have come to live by.
Nevertheless, I’m still asking WHY?
Most of the history of the
David, a very informative, thoughtfully planned and chronological account to your inquisitive mind. This reader was given an education, thank you! I have wondered "why?" about some of this but not enough to the extent to do research. Your article answered some of the whys, David and I say thanks! Great use of photographs to support your article and make it even more interesting. This is my review and that's the way it is! *grin*Please log in to respond to this comment.Yes, your closing Avis is how Walter Cronkite used to sign off every night after a newscast. "and that's the way it is" only what can we do about the way it is?Please log in to respond to this comment.
Isn't it Ironic David that war 'liberated' Western women. When some Westerners are pondering the existance of Eastern women many forget that it wasn't so far back in our own history that women could not vote, those in privileged families had arranged marriages and doweries were exchanged, education was limited and they were not generally allowed to work is skilled highly paid jobs. Then along came the war and as you note, they had to fill the roles of men and the changing tide has never turned back. Has it gone too far? Are men being imasculinated and feminised? Is it a good thing or bad?Please log in to respond to this comment.Well CB, as far as the liberated woman I don’t have to much say on the issue. I know I can’t stand seeing women on television movies kicking up their heels and knocking men around playing the role of super women. However my article wasn’t based on the gender issue as much as it was focused on why we live as we do in society. I was mainly trying to relate to the issue of money and how I, as a child tried to make sense of life in general.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Good article David. As for Woman I and many men never needed any program, ideology or movement to treat them as equals. In many instances they are and have been discriminated against. Many woman do and have done one hell of a good job and under adverse conditions. Yet, somewhere one cannot help but wondering if we have lost the value of Motherhood and that specific job that wasand is the one of the most essential in building families and yes nations. It was the cement and glue that formed the foundation of this great land. No, there is nothing wrong with woman in the professions or any other field but we and they should never forget motherhood. I do agree they had to fight for what they wanted but I also wonder why Motherhood was looked on as so insignificant to many? I myself believe the lack of stay home mothers and dads contributes to the state of society today. Excellent article.Please log in to respond to this comment.Well Mr. Melaccio, although my article did portray the role of women on the home front during World War 11, in great detail, as I tried to explain to CB, gender wasn’t my intention in this article. My article was based on how our government ran more smoothly during the war than it does during peace. When Washington plays the major role in the business field. However I do agree that women should (and by nature) care to their young instead of seeking a career in the work field. Don’t get me wrong there are women who could out work a lot of men and in today’s society it is hard to live on one paycheck. "thanks for commenting"Please log in to respond to this comment.
Excellent article, 'Mr. David'! Full of a great deal of facts yet written so interestingly that it keeps the reader moving. You bring up a great number of points here and it just shows how the times sure have changed. You absolutely have a 'gift'!Please log in to respond to this comment.Times have changed Judi, that’s very true however we as humans are molded mainly by our environment. I know you being a firm believer in God do not believe in Darwin’s theory of biological evolution, which I certainly do not believe in biological evolution as well. I believe we are the same species today as from day one when God created us, what has changed is an unfolding process of change and development through the ages by learning mainly through trial and error. You see Judi the past 30+ years we have had little direction in our course as humans as far as determining our own future. You probably ask why I use the figure 30+ years, well that’s when the whole world began a revolution towards peace and working together. 35 years ago to be more specific, I lose a lot of people when I get on this subject so I’ll just let it be what I’m trying to do is find the missing link it seems everyone is searching for. to get us back on the proper path or course. "thanks for commenting"Please log in to respond to this comment.
