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      eHistory  >  World War II Search

We Can Do It' poster with 'Rosie the Riveter'
The American Home Front

In the end, the American war industry built over 300,000 planes, 86,000 tanks, 4,000 artillery pieces, 5,000 liberty ships, and 1,400 warships.
With most of the men off fighting, women filled the work force. Women went to work building all those planes, tanks, and ships. All these women working gave rise to a new image of women, especially characterized by "Rosie the Riveter". Women not only went to work building the nation's war material, they also went to war themselves. Thousands of women joined the WAVEs (Women Accepted for Volunteer Service), the WACs (Woman's Army Corps), and the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots), providing invaluable service for the war effort.     (MORE)




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