United States Prepares

Objective: explain how the US changed its economy to provide

supplies for the war effort

Preparing for War - chart Tell one way each group prepared for the

war: men, women, industry

Read pages 756 - 757

Military Men volunteered or were drafted under

the Selective Service Act Pass medical test Got uniforms and equipment Uniforms labeled G.I. meaning government

issue Trained for 8 weeks

Women in Military Large numbers served for the first time Women’s Army Corps (WAC) Women Appointed for Volunteer

Emergency Service (WAVES)

Economy National Labor Board – settled disputes War Production Board – charged with

changing factories over to military products

Funding the War $320 billion spent on the war (10x the cost

of WWI) Raised taxes on businesses Made most Americans pay income tax Congress approved method of taking taxes

directly out of paychecks (The Revenue Act of 1942)

Borrowed money from citizens – sold War Bonds

Summary Why were American soldiers called “GIs”? Name two ways the government raised

money for the war. How did the War Production Board and

National War Labor Board help mobilization?

Activity suggestions: create a propaganda poster encouraging people to buy a war bond or join the armed forces