Heroines — World War II US Propaganda Posters

As the United States declared its entry into World War II and thousands of young adults put on uniforms and went to the front, much of the productive work in the rear seemed to be left to these women. and in order to fill some of the many vacant special positions in the military, more than 400,000 women joined the military in World War II.

The outbreak of the war not only brought down the unemployment rate in the United States, but it also brought about a steep rise in the number of women workers. Women workers could be found in any factory in the United States at that time. Soon, the American public began to condense and shape the image of these working women, and eventually created a fictional woman called “Ruth the Riveter” – She was hardworking and willing to work hard, and had all the good qualities of a good worker and a good mother. At the same time, the American media also began to increase the publicity of women workers.

In addition to the factories, women are also sweating in the fields and farms. Some women are also responsible for driving farming vehicles such as harvesters and plow trucks. Women who work at special times even harder, either loosening the soil at 4 a.m. or pick fruit or pack boxes until midnight.

Women in the military also played an important role in winning the war. Prior to World War II, the only major positions available to women in the military were medical and nursing jobs, so in order to attract more women to serve in the military, numerous recruitment posters, brochures and advertisements began appearing throughout the United States.

On May 14, 1942, at Rogers’ suggestion again, the U.S. Congress finally passed Public Law 77-544 and allowed the formation of the Army Women’s Auxiliary Corps, and in August 1942, the first 800 women called up to the Army’s Provisional Officers’ Training School in Des Moines to receive training work. The women were then required to begin physical training that was less intense but essentially similar to that of male soldiers.

In August 1943, the Women’s Army Flying Corps was officially formed, and the women learned not only about all kinds of flying and the Army’s management system, but also about the skills of flying 23 kinds of aircraft.

Of course, excluding these women’s units that were directly attached to the combat branches, becoming a nurse was the preferred choice of many women at the time.