Exploring American Histories: Printed Page 738

Documents 23.3 and 23.4

Women Workers during Wartime: Two Views

During the war, women worked in industrial jobs in unprecedented numbers. Corporations and the federal government actively recruited women through posters and advertisements and promised women that factory work was something that would benefit themselves, their families, and their nation. As the Allies neared victory, however, the message changed, and women were urged to prepare to return to the home to open up jobs for returning soldiers.

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23.3 Recruitment Poster, 1942
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Library of Congress

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23.4 ADEL Advertisement, 1944
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Interpret the Evidence

  • Question

    How do the messages and images of the women in the poster and the advertisement differ? Do you find any similarities?

  • Question

    How does the 1942 poster portray women’s transition from home to work?

  • Question

    How does the 1944 advertisement emphasize the coming transition from work to home?

Put It in Context

Question

Why were women so important in winning the war?