APUSH

America in WWII
Chapter 36

I. Industrial Production
A. The U.S government organized a number of special agencies
to mobilize U.S economic and military resources for the wartime
crisis.
1. The War Production Board (WPA) was established to
manage war industries.
2. The Office of War Mobilization (OWM) set production
priorities and controlled raw materials.
a. The government used a cost- plus system, in
which it paid war contractors the cost of production plus a
certain percentage for profit.
3. The Office of Price Administration (OPA) regulated prices,
wages and rationing on materials like sugar, gasoline and meat.
B. Due to the wartime demand in government contracts, the
Great Depression was over.
1. By 1944 unemployment had practically disappeared.
C. The fear that strikes would slow down the production caused
Congress to pass the Smith-Conally Anti-Strike Act (1943).
D. The war was financed by:
1. Increasing income tax.
2. Selling war bonds.
II. The War’s Impact on Society
A. African Americans.
1.Many left the South attracted by jobs in the North and
the West.
2. Blacks still faced discrimination as citizens and
soldiers.
3. The Smith vs. Allwright case ruled that it was
unconstitutional to deny membership in political parties to
blacks.
B. Mexican Americans
1.In 1942, an agreement with Mexico allowed Mexican
farm workers (braceros) to enter the U.S.
a. Caused white resentment against the Mexicans
causing riots.
C. Women
1. Some 20,000 women served in the military in
noncombat roles
2. An acute labor shortage caused women to take up
jobs in industrial factories again like many had in WWI.
D. Native Americans
 1.Many entered the military and never went back to the
reservations.
2.Were mainly used to communicate in their native
tongues on the battle fields so Germans couldn’t
understand them.
III. The Election of 1944
A. The election of 1944 did not consume people’s attention due
to the war.
B. Many felt that there shouldn’t be a change in leadership.
1. The case was different in choosing FDR’s running mate.
a. Democrats believed Henry Wallace to be too
radical.
b. Went on to nominate the senator Harry S.
Truman from Missouri.
C. Republicans nominated the New York governor Thomas
Dewey.
1. Was unable to any real alternative to FDR’s leadership
or generate enthusiasm.
D. FDR won his fourth term with an overwhelming 53% of the
popular vote and a 432-99 in the Electoral College.
1. About 3 months after the inauguration, FDR would pass
away, the rest of his term served by Truman.