Women during World War II
The need for women rose during the Second World War. The Second World War started a new period of opportunities for us to take part in the war and be identified for our contributions outside of the household whether it was on the front lines or home front. For the countries that were largely took part in the Second World War, the war endeavor was complete, with us taking part in large numbers together with men. In addition, we occupied conventional men positions at home during the war. We participated in both supportive and active activities in government agencies, resistance units, military auxiliaries, and factories. While fairly minimal number of us took place in the front lines, many of us were victims of invading armies and bombing campaigns (Cook, 2006).
During the Second World War we were subject to unfair and unequal treatment compared to men. We were not permitted to operate as soldiers in the armed forces, particularly, not as leaders or captains. We were largely left at residences to take care of our families, shops, and farms. Nonetheless, in some rare situations, a number of us were allowed to go to war. In contrast, when we were at war, we did not have a chance to fight; we largely filled occupations, for example, nursing and other stereotypical positions that were deemed suitable for women (Regis, 2008). When the war ended, those of us who had filled different employment positions from the usual associated with women lost our jobs. We also had to leave our jobs when we got married. Nonetheless, we attained complete voting equality with men.
We faced numerous difficulties in raising the children. Those of us who were married early had a several children and did not rely extremely on our spouses when the war was going on. We flew military aircrafts, drove company trucks, and took over factory works and additional employment positions that had customarily been reserved for only men. This means that mothers could not sufficiently take care of their young ones. We had to rely on other women or older women who were not involved in any activity to give meals, shower, and take care of the children when we were at our workplace or taking part in the war. Many of us employed tricks to ration food for our children. In extreme instances, children had to raise themselves due to their mothers’ engagements (Regis, 2008).
We faced abundant challenges in our effort to join the military, college, and find work. We were restricted to household activities, for example, taking care of our families and homes. The few of us who were able to join the military were restricted to various duties except shooting. We underwent similar military training, engaged in similar activities, and existed in identical conditions as men, but did not take part in the battle or get similar recognition as men. We had difficulties in balancing school work with family, work, and military duties. We were heavily relied on because men were in the battle fields, this proved demanding in our school activities (Wightman, 1999). Finally, several employers entirely refused to employ us, others set unjustly minimal employment quotas for us, and others employed us but paid extremely low wages, while others employed us but did not give us jobs initially given to men.
References
Cook, B. A. (2006). Women and war: A historical encyclopedia from antiquity to the present. California: ABC-CLIO.
Regis, M. (2008). When our mothers went to war: An illustrated history of women in World War II. Seattle: NavPublishing.
Wightman, C. (1999). More than munitions: Women, work and the engineering industries 1900- 1950. New York: Addison Wesley Longman limited.
