The bombing
of Pearl Harbor drew the United States quickly into the war. It was no longer hovering on the
sidelines. Socially, people coalesced around the war effort. Although there was a draft, many
men enlisted voluntarily. Most Americans perceived the Germans and Japanese as evil and
dangerous enemies that had to be defeated at all costs.
A downside of this
social consensus was the internment of Japanese American citizens, who were suspected wholesale
of possibly colluding with the enemy. This anti-Japanese sentiment and action led to the
upending of the lives of many innocent people.
Rationing also impacted the
country socially. Ironically, after a decade of severe underemployment, the economy reached a
full employment-plus situation that led to people having lots of money to spend. However,
because of rationing, there was little to spend it on. People therefore spent their scant free
time growing victory gardens and refurbishing their clothing to look fresh and new. After the
war,...
No comments:
Post a Comment