Women's roles during the war

While men were away at war, women were able to take action on the home front, and their assistance in the war effort would prove to be vital to the Allies success the success of America's economy.
Numbers of newly employed soared; 6 million women joined the work force during wartime, raising the percentage of women in the work force to an all time high of 35 percent. Many women found jobs as ordinance workers and in other war production industries. Many typical domestic jobs were abandoned for better paying work in defense plants. With men off at war, some also worked their way up in journalism and bus driving which were typically professions that men partook in.
General George Marshall began the Women's Auxillary Army Corps (WAAC) at the beginning of the war. This allowed for and hugely increased women volunteers working for the army in noncombat positions. Although women still did not recieve the same level of benefits as male soldiers, they did gain the same status and salary. Jobs they participated in included nursing, ambulence driving, pilots, and electricians.
War industries found that women did indeed have the stamina to work in factories welding torches and riveting guns. They also were cheaper laborers since factory women's salaries were not yet equal to those of male factory workers.
At home, women also remained strong for their husbands and their families. Their jobs were demanding and many had families to take care of in addition to their labor. Womens' strength during wartime changed America and the outcome of the war. Without the millions of women on the workforce and at home, World War II may have been very different. With their work, they helped America and gained respect and equality in society.