What Does That Word Mean?

Essential Terms of the WWII Home Front

The World War II Home Front was a critical component of the Allied victory, involving not just soldiers on the battlefield but also the millions of civilians who contributed through various means at home. The home front saw a mobilization of resources, industry, and human effort on an unprecedented scale. Understanding the key terms associated with this period provides insight into how the war effort permeated every aspect of daily life in the United States. From "Rosie the Riveter" to "Victory Gardens," these terms encapsulate the spirit, challenges, and triumphs of the American home front during WWII. This comprehensive list highlights the significant elements that defined the era and helped shape the post-war world

1. Rosie the Riveter - A cultural icon representing the women who worked in factories and shipyards during WWII.
2. Liberty Ships - Cargo ships built in the United States during WWII to transport war supplies and troops.
3. Victory Ships - Follow-up cargo ships to Liberty ships, designed for increased durability and speed.
4. Kaiser Shipyards - Shipyards in Richmond, California, known for their record-breaking production of ships during WWII.
5. War Bonds - Debt securities issued by the government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war.
6. Rationing - The controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services during wartime.
7. Victory Gardens - Private or community gardens where citizens grew their own vegetables to support the war effort.
8. War Production Board (WPB) - An agency that supervised war production during WWII.
9. Office of War Information (OWI) - A U.S. government agency created during WWII to consolidate existing government information services and deliver propaganda both at home and abroad.
10. Lend-Lease Act - A program under which the U.S. supplied Allied nations with vast amounts of war material.
11. Civil Defense - Efforts to protect the civilian population from military attacks and support the war effort.
12. Internment Camps - Places where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and incarcerated during WWII.
13. Manhattan Project - A research and development project that produced the first nuclear weapons during WWII.
14. War Manpower Commission (WMC) - An agency of the United States government created to balance the labor needs of agriculture, industry, and the armed forces.
15. Selective Service System - A government agency that conducts conscription, or the drafting of individuals for military service.
16. Office of Price Administration (OPA) - An agency established to control money (price controls) and rents after the outbreak of WWII.
17. National War Labor Board (NWLB) - An agency that mediated labor disputes during WWII to prevent strikes and ensure continued production.
18. GI Bill of Rights - A law that provided various benefits for returning WWII veterans.
19. Atchison Village - A wartime housing project in Richmond, California, built to accommodate shipyard workers.
20. Ford Richmond Plant - A major assembly plant that produced military vehicles and tanks during WWII.
21. Civilian Public Service - Program that provided conscientious objectors with an alternative to military service during WWII.
22. Tuskegee Airmen - The first African-American military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
23. Women’s Army Corps (WAC) - The women's branch of the United States Army.
24. USO (United Service Organizations) - An organization that provides programs, services, and live entertainment to United States service members and their families.
25. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - A wartime intelligence agency of the United States during WWII, and a predecessor of the modern Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
26. Double V Campaign - A movement by African Americans demanding equal rights in exchange for the sacrifices they were making in the war.
27. Bracero Program - A series of laws and diplomatic agreements between the United States and Mexico for the importation of temporary contract laborers from Mexico to the United States.
28. Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) - Established to help prevent discrimination against African Americans in defense and government jobs.
29. Shipyard Workers - Essential labor force in the shipbuilding industry, critical for producing the vessels needed for the war effort.
30. Merchant Marine - Fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant ships that engaged in commerce or transportation of goods during wartime.
31. War Relocation Authority (WRA) - An agency responsible for the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.
32. Code Talkers - Navajo and other Native American soldiers who used their languages to create unbreakable codes.
33. Home Front Casualties - Industrial and civilian casualties occurring on the home front due to wartime production and other activities.
34. Child Development Centers - Facilities established to provide childcare for working mothers during WWII.
35. Arsenal of Democracy - A slogan used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to describe the United States' role in providing the Allied nations with the industrial support needed to fight the Axis powers.
36. Recycling Drives - Community efforts to collect materials like metal, rubber, and paper for use in the war effort.
37. Propaganda Posters - Visual tools used to rally public support, encourage enlistment, and promote war bonds and rationing.
38. Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) - An agency created to coordinate state and federal measures for protection of civilians during air raids and other wartime emergencies.
39. Blackouts - Measures taken to darken entire cities to prevent them from being visible to enemy bombers.
40. WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) - The women's branch of the United States Naval Reserve.