The Best War Ever, By Michael C. Adams

During World War II, many men were absorbed into the army leaving women and children at home. As the war was getting worse, the number o men in the military was not enough, and the women had to be employed n the job previously done by men. Some of the women at home were required to abandon their full time job as homemakers and decided to join the men in the workforce. Michael C.C Adams in his book The Best War Ever explained the social and economic impacts that result due to women joining the work force during World War II. This essay will analyze the similarities and differences between Michael Adam’s argument and the two oral histories on social and economic impact resulted due to women joining the army. This paper will argue that the oral

histories of Lola Weixel in the Voices Of World War II edited by Tara Melish and “The young girl joining the Army” by Catherine Ott help support Michael Adams arguments about women in workforce during the war.

Michael Adams argues that many of the women joining the workforce were single women.

For the first time in 1944, married female workers exceeded single women workers by 72 percent. Many people including private institution such as American home and Catholic Commonwealth did not support women as war workers and they constantly asked women doing the workforce to stay at home as homemakers. According to Adams, many thought that women joining the workforce were a way of introducing immorality to the family, and consequently the results will be adultery during the night shift. Similarly, male colleagues did not like the idea of women joining the workforce. Some men felt angry that women performed the same job they did. According to Michael Adams, women felt too much pressure trying to combine the two responsibilities. Women were the foundation of many of the families at home because their husbands were in military. The responsibilities were too much on women that led them to work extra time with less sleep. This resulted to the absenteeism of women at workforce. Moreover, women faced hard times trying to keep the family strong as sometimes their housemaid got angry wit them due to late arrival from work. At the end of the war, women were urged to leave their jobs, which were then available for the veterans. Though the women were applauded for the job they did during the war, a number of them were frustrated by the action and they felt betrayed. Many women had gained experience

but they gained little ground in women role.

Similar to Michael Adams, the oral history of “The young girl joining the army” by Catherine Ott supports Michael Adams point that men and family did not support the women joining the workforce. Ms. Ott remembered, “The felt that I could better spend my time practicing piano and riding my bicycle.” Men constantly harassed women who joined the workforce. They kept saying that women were only there to keep the men happy. However, women made them look stupid when they proved to be hardworking in their job, which produce top results. Catherine Ott says that in her case she wanted to retain her job after the war, but her husband asked her to leave her job and come back home. Catherine Ott’s oral history also differs with Adams argument on father to family relationship regarding the ability to earn enough wages to support her family. Unlike Adams, Ott’s supported the family in buying food with other basic things. In Adam’s argument, it was only women who worked hard trying to combine the two responsibilities to make their family comfortable. Men were only there to be fed and sometimes they would get mad at their wife if they could get home late after a whole day of struggle. IN addition, Adams argues that father’s status was diminished due to their unemployment and they were no longer the amulet breadwinners. According to Adams, women were employed in traditionally female occupations such as nursing, teaching and bank tellers. This is very different with Ott’s oral history where women recruited to work in machine design, drafting, calculus and electricity.

The oral history of Lola Weixel edited by Tara Melish also helps support Michael Adams argument on women at work force during World War II.

Similarly to Adams argument, Lola Weixel says that at the end of the war, they thought that they were learning a skill that would last them and be useful all over their lives. Women were shocked and hot angry when they found that their job was temporary and they would lose it soon as the war ended. Lola Wexiel also supports Adams point on how people looked at who joined the job during the war. Many people thought that women were only there to meet men and make them happy. In real sense, women were taking it as a serious business and their target was to learn and to contribute to the war effort. Michael Adams differs with Tara Melish’s oral history on areas where women were employed during the war. According to Adam, women were employed as nurses, teachers and bank tellers, which is absolutely different with Lola Weixel where women worked as welders in a machine

shop.

Both the oral histories support Michael Adams argument that women were not warmly received in work force during the war. They aced discriminations such as low wages and discouragement involving abuses that they were only there to make men happy. However, World War II led to the women gaining new opportunities consisting of new jobs, new challenges as well as developing ability to do things that were previously done by men. Women losing their jobs after the war is disgusting considering their hard work at home, which involved multi-tasking to keep the country united. They deserved more appreciation for the great work they did then losing their jobs.