We Can Do It Poster Analysis

The photo that I have chosen for my primary source is a poster called “We Can Do It”. In 1942, J. Howard Miller’s, created an American wartime poster as an inspirational image to a boost worker morale. Around the same time this poster was released the World War II, was also in action. During the World War II the poster was not as much seen as when it was rediscovered in the 1980’s. The poster measured 22 inches by 17 inches, which is now part of The National Museum of American History. As well not only a poster but also printed on clothes, and use as historical patinas in many museums. After, the iconic figure of a strong female was production worker, the peter was not only called “We Can Do It”, but also, “Rosie the River”. The poster features

a beautiful, young, strong, women in a workers uniform in the early twenty century period. This poster was in the early 1980, for some political issues; used to promote feminism. 1994, poster was also made it as a cover of the Smithsonian magazine and 1999 US first-class mail stamp. (http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_538122).

Miller, created the poster during an interesting period in the national history.

At the time when Miller had done his poster, the World War II almost over. When it was the late 1930s, The world War II in 1942-1945 was held in Eastern Europe. Europe was lay under German domination; the army of German was victorious when they had almost unbroken the chain of the successes of the battlefield. In the summer of 1942, German advance the city of Stalingrad to prove a turning. After the mouths of heavy casualties fighting in 1943, about 91,000 soldiers had surrendered. When all of this was going on the U.S Congress created the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps to support the students that are in nursing who would pledge to “engage in essential nursing, military or civilian, for the duration of the war”. There was also women in the Military, as the American women edging their way onto the

battlefield.

Many more women started working in the mid 1942.

The reason on why more women had started working in the mid-1942, is because when World War II was happing male workers were drafted into the army. As in then the reality of labor scarcity started to receive resistance to female war worker. So when the males where be sent to the war the women recruited into the jobs. With a couple of million women unemployed job in the 1940 a burgeoning demand put the unemployed to create jobs that will have a new opportunities for women that would be coming for the first time. During the time of 1940 and 1945 a 43% of women workers increase because, about 5 million new female workers enter the labor force. The paid labor force in 1944 around 37% adult women worked. Some women were trained for hight skills paying jobs; electricians, welders, riveters. 1942 of November the National War Labor Bored issued for equal wages for women when they work because that work they were doing was comparable to men. The women group were pressuring the National War Labor Bored but, didn't want to because the women were temporarily taking on the male jobs; similar approach was adopted with the unions. In the unions women participation rose from 9.4% of members before the war to 22% in 1944. The war jobs had also allowed many black women to poor wages of domestic

work.

In terms of women’s history Miller’s poster is particularly because it reflects a specific conception of American womanhood that dates to the period. During the time of the poster that Miller created was at the time when women started replacing the men in the work force when the men left to the army. The poster shows that strong young women in a workers uniform with wording on that top saying, “We Can Do It!”. From the poster just having the words “We Can Do It”, shows that if only because there women doesn't mean they cant do the same thing as a men. Also from there cloths that she's wearing show a store from when the poster came out. They have the women in not just any worker uniform like from a grocery store or someone working in a bank. The uniform that she has on is one that they would use in a factory where before that only men will work at before they were sent to the war.

Not only from the way that she dressed but, also if you look closely to her figure from here face. She is dressed by looking ready to work from a uniform. She's dressed in a men uniform by she still has a feminine figure. Even if she's gaining to get dirty she will still be look good; on her face one can tell that she id wearing makeup. Its good that she still wears makeup to go to work, because it saying that she can go to work in a mens uniform but still look like a beautiful women.