Social and cultural changes in the USA
Works Progress Administration - Support for writers and musicians
FWP workers collected oral histories - interviewed old slaves
Under FWP over 275 books and 700 pamphlets were published
Included information about American cuisine, specialities and recipes
1935 support was offered to musicians in Federal Musicians Project to 1939
1935 Saul Bellow and other writers were documenting America's food and eating habits in America Eats
Included instrumentalists, singers and music teachers
American guide covered all 48 states and was the most listing achievement of the FWP
FMP attempted to produce high quality music and singing in different forms
Two well known projects were American State Guides and America Easys - aim was to produce written portrait of the diversity
Sponsored many New York musical groups which appeared on radio station WNYC
Federal Writers Project began in 1935 - aimed to offer employment to teachers, librarians and writers
In 1936 almost half of their broadcast hours were supported by the FMP
Employed 6000 people made up of everyday professionals and notable writers like Saul Bellow who won Nobel Peace Prize
In 4 years 7332 compositions by 2258 composers were funded
Much of this was produced under the Federal Art Project of the WPA
FMP-funded concerts were given in front of over 148m
By 1937 thousands of artists produced more than 15,000 individual pieces of art
Gave underrepresented minorities a chance to play music - low cost/free concerts were offered
WW2 and role of women
Black Americans and Fair Employment Practice Commission
This meant women stepped into the workforce as production increased during the war
Previously the role was for women to stay at home and raise children
Between 1941-45 the USA mobilised 11.9m men
Helped transform the role/status of women
Employers were reluctant to offer jobs but offered low wages and menial jobs
Even when black Americans were skilled they received low wages e.g Shipyard in Texas
Living conditions were overcrowded and black Americans were forced to live in segregated housing
Black workers saw their wages increase by 40% whereas whites went up by 60%
Gave black Americans opportunities for employment - encouraged further migration from the South
1943 - Executive Order 9346 introduced with FEPC budget increased by $500,000
This outlawed racial discrimination based on colour/origin
By 1945 8% of defence jobs were held by black Americans compared to 3% at the start
25 June 1941 FDR signed Executive Order 8802
FEPC was ended by Congress in 1946 - 2 attempts to recreate in 1946 and 1948 but these failed
Wartime domestic propaganda
War bonds were available to be bought by ordinary Americans - source of war funding
1945 marine soldiers raised a US flag on Mount Suribachi featured in a government advertisement campaign
There were posters warning against spreading gossip due to spies with slogans 'Loose lips, cost ships'
Propaganda could be viewed as a negative as it demonised the enemy
OWI created Rosie the Riveter and posters with the slogan 'woman power' to encourage women to take part in war industries
Germans and Japanese were depicted as bestial (sub-humans) who wanted to destroy the US way of life
Posters appeared across the USA in public places e.g railroad stations, billboards and schools
Office of War Information (OWI) - communicated government views on the war
USA helped gain popular support for the war through this
Power of Hollywood
12% of Hollywood actors joined up and 25% of Hollywood staff fought in the war
1942 Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck appeared in magazines like Coronet dressed as marines
Stars like Clarke Gable and James Stewart volunteered and joined the airforce
Disney produced two income tax films and produced cartoon posters selling war bonds - Fifth War Bond Drive in 1944
Director John Ford was employed to make films about the Naval wars
Successful campaign was encouraging Americans to grow their own food in 'victory gardens'
1942 best film went to Mrs Miniver about how a fictional British family stood up to Germans on the Home Front
Characters were popular and painted on warplanes
1941 Gary Cooper won Best Actor for portraying a US soldier who captured 20 German prisoners during WWI
Was an effective method in raising morale, explaining the war aims and supporting the government programmes
Committee hoped pro-British messages in films would help the cause of supplying Britain with Lend-Lease war materials
1942 OWI set up 2 sub agencies to supervise Hollywood
Senate subcommittee investigated if Hollywood was playing its part
Growth of radio
Popular music goes to war
1941 radio stations broadcast series of talks called Speaking of Liberty and You can't do business with Hitler in 1942
US Treasury sponsored many radio shows where war bonds were sold in commercial breaks
Effective way to get over the governments message
Sitcoms were popular and some were used to deal with issues like petrol rationing, buying war bonds and playing a part in USA's war effort
Most Americans had access to radio
He died in the war while travelling from Britain to France
Artie Shaw served in the Navy and led a jazz band which toured the Pacific combat zone playing to troops
Glenn Miller joined the army and his band toured European battlefields
Musical entertainment was part of government plans to ensure troops received effective moral support which included regular mail and decent food
Swing was the most popular style of band music in war years
Leading music stars played their full part in the war