Free Paper Example: Roles of Women in World War II

Societal roles have significantly changed and transformed how we perceive issues over the years. Before World War II, for instance, the war was entirely a male affair with women confined to their household spaces to take care of their children, among other chores. While some women protested their exclusion from the global workforce, little was done to create an inclusive labor market (Philips, n.d). As such, women continued to feel inferior and limited while taking care of their husbands and children: a norm that had transitioned from earlier generations.

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However, World War II became a game-changer, particularly for women, because of its overwhelming nature that outdid the men’s abilities (Lumenlearning, 2020). In other words, the onset of World War II was a blessing in disguise for women considering their changing roles and involvement in society. During World War II, women took on quite a variety of roles (Lumenlearning, 2020). While some remained caregivers and homemakers, others explored the new opportunities that were entirely male-dominated before and at the onset of the war (Lumenlearning, 2020).

During World War II, nearly 19 million women entered the job market, with over 6 million entering the global market as new female workers after the war (Lumenlearning, 2020). Typically, women took on roles such as working in war industries, farms, and factories to ensure sustainability through the production of food and other resources during and after the war. Also, women drove trucks, worked as logistic support agents, and, more importantly, as nurses to take care of soldiers injured during the war.

Ultimately, the involvement of women during World War II supported the war in the sense that they helped in ensuring that there was a continued production and supply of critical resources, including food and ammunition (McDermott, 2018). Besides, women helped take care of the injured soldiers while ensuring that those on the battleground had sufficient information concerning the progress of the war through their logistic processes (McDermott, 2018). Overall, women played a significant role during and after World War II by taking on new opportunities.

References

Lumenlearning. (2020). Social effects of the war | Boundless US History. Courses.lumenlearning.com. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ushistory/chapter/social-effects-of-the-war/.

McDermott, A. (2018). How World War II empowered women. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/news/how-world-war-ii-empowered-women.

Philips, K. The War. At home. Family | PBS. Pbs.org. HYPERLINK https://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_family.htm.