The role of women in contemporary society is fundamental in the running and functioning of social livelihoods. Either the role of women has not changed through the periods in history especially during periods of warfare and social strife. During the World War 2, women had different roles as they were very instrumental in ensuring that their roles were not usurped during the events that preceded the world war. Women had different roles in the World War 2 and this paper will keenly look at the roles that women had in the course of the war.
Women on the home front is representative of the roles that women had in the war both at home and in the battlefield. Rationing was prevalent in the war years as there were instance where provisions for food items like sugar, butter, eggs and other items (Hartman p.1). Rations were not only limited to food but also to items like gas, rubber and nylon. Women played a fundamental role in ensuring that rations were met by providing and donations of items like cookware and cutlery items to assist in recycling. Women in the USA contributed to the war as they worked on the home front in defenses plants either the women provided voluntary services to war-related organisations (Hartman p.2). Additionally women became household managers but most importantly some women decided to serve in uniform. American women volunteered for the Women Reserves (WAVES), the Coast Guards Women Reserves (SPARS) among others. Women that mainly served in the office were mainly involved in clerical jobs so as to assist men to be enjoined in the fight. Other significant roles played by women included serving as truck drivers, airplane engineers, laboratory technicians and radio operators. Consequentially the same role was played by women in Australia as they acted and served so as to assist in the World War as they jumped at every opportunity. Industrial tasks were carried out by women to fill the gaps left by men who had joined the war.
Women in WAVES was a major contribution of the women in the world war effort. The various fields that they contributed to was Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (WAVES), a U.S Naval Reserve unit. The help provided by this women was a major boost and instrumental in winning the war. To further enhance their importance it also provided evidence on the successfulness of mixed gender forces. Though the need for women in the navy had been overlooked their inclusion proved to be worthwhile. General navy services positions were mainly applied for by women. Clerical and secretarial functions were the tasks mainly performed by women in the society. The U.S navy during the duration of the war had produced more than 10000 women that were active in service. Consequentially the WAVES were to serve other roles that diversified into the fields of aviation, science, technology and medical professionalism. Waves were later to be recruited into active service of the aeronautics due to their exemplary performance. Ineligibility for war combat went a long way in harnessing the skillset of the women in their areas of work (Campbell p.2).
However criticism was to follow on the waves as they were stereotyped to be too masculine and disregarded by the government. Despite their shortcomings the WAVES continued to exhibit characters of high integrity as noble and patriotic. Loathed and loved by some in equal measures in different quarters the role of the WAVES was important as their efforts are lauded in contemporary society as they are the cornerstone and benchmark for women movement and importance in the economy.
Women were not considered on the same wavelength as men in the World War 2. Their roles were simply restricted to household chores and there was no glorification in this conditions as men bravely fought for their causes. Women were perceived as second rate citizens and their roles were shunned during the pre-war and war era. However the events that transpired during the World War 2 changed events. Gender inequality had most women unemployed before the war due to the roles they were expected to play in society (Claudia p.3).
More than half the tasks were to be done in society as the men went to war. Women that served in the world war changed social thinking and the view of women solely based on the gender of their sex. Expectations of women were changed during the war as they wanted to be viewed as individuals with a purpose. Though there was resentment from men on the way in which women should have been perceived brought resentment as they were not expected to be on the battle front though they were similarly patriotic. Alternatively women enlisted into the military to help influence outcomes and provide support to the stretched troops. Perseverance was a character trait that was definitive of the women that changed roles in how they were perceived.
Women had a huge role in the world war as their efforts cannot go unmentioned. They provided support from 3 fronts either militarily or in the form of militarily help through the household or industrially. Even though women in some countries were not considered for such military tasks their ultimate involvement was however valuable to the military and outcome of the war.
Works Cited.
Hartmann, Susan M. The home front and beyond: American women in the 1940s. Twayne Pub, 1982.
Campbell, D. Ann. "Women in Combat: The World War II Experience in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and the Soviet Union." The Journal of Military History 57.2 (1993): 301.
Goldin, Claudia D. "The role of World War II in the rise of women's employment." The American Economic Review (1991): 741-756.
