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Contribution of women in the military
Why women should be allowed to serve in combat roles
Contribution of women in the military
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Thousands of men enlisted and were sent to fight during World War II. However, many people are unaware of the role that women played in the war, not only in taking over the jobs that would have previously belonged to men at home, but also in combat. D’Ann Campbell’s article “Women in Combat: The World War II Experience in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and the Soviet Union” explores this topic. Campbell argues that the role of women in combat has been overlooked in the study of the Second World War. She states that, in fact, “the history everyone has learned about the greatest and best-known war of all times has airbrushed out the combat roles of women” (323). In the article, Campbell compares the methods of the four major powers involved in the war, the Unites States, Great Britain, Germany, and the Soviet Union, of involving women in combat, and what those methods used say about gender roles in that particular country. Campbell begins by examining the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps in the United States and the “experiments” that the Army General Staff held “to see how well American women could perform” (302). Ultimately, they discovered that “mixed gender units performed better than all male units” (302). Similar British experiences found much the same thing; in fact, it was the model of the British army that the United States “was watching closely” (306). In Britain in 1941, 125,000 women were drafted into the military, while 430,000 more volunteered over the next three years (306). The purpose of these units was to allow more men to fight offensively on the continent while the women protected the defensive lines. Neither country allowed the women to fight, however; in the United States the public was not “ready to ... ... middle of paper ... ...tion for each country, and bringing it together in the concluding paragraphs. The article does seem to be focused mainly on the United States, with the largest portion of the article dedicated to this country’s women’s units. However, this bias is most likely based on the fact that the article was written for an American journal. One thing that could have improved the article is if the author had stated her argument at the beginning of the article. As it is, the article seems to jump straight in without introducing a clear argument; the rest of the article does not seem as cohesive as it could have been. It is only in the final paragraphs that the reader begins to gain a sense of what Campbell is attempting to make as an argument. Overall, the article is interesting to read and gives insight into an aspect of the Second World War of which many people are unaware.
Ward, Geoffrey C. and Burns, Ken, The War, An Intimate History 1941-1945. (New York: Knopf 2007)
Within Megan H. Mackenzie’s essay, “Let Women Fight” she points out many facts about women serving in the U.S. military. She emphasizes the three central arguments that people have brought up about women fighting in the military. The arguments she states are that women cannot meet the physical requirements necessary to fight, they simply don’t belong in combat, and that their inclusion in fighting units would disrupt those units’ cohesion and battle readiness. The 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act built a permanent corps of women in all the military departments, which was a big step forward at that time. Although there were many restrictions that were put on women, an increase of women in the U.S. armed forces happened during
“There was much more to women’s work during World War Two than make, do, and mend. Women built tanks, worked with rescue teams, and operated behind enemy lines” (Carol Harris). Have you ever thought that women could have such an important role during a war? In 1939 to 1945 for many women, World War II brought not only sacrifices, but also a new style of life including more jobs, opportunities and the development of new skills. They were considered as America’s “secret weapon” by the government. Women allowed getting over every challenge that was imposed by a devastating war. It is necessary to recognize that women during this period brought a legacy that produced major changes in social norms and work in America.
Red Apple Education Ltd. (2014). Women on the home front. Retrieved March 31, 2014 , from skwirk interactive schooling: http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-91_t-202_c-675/women-on-the-home-front/nsw/women-on-the-home-front/australia-and-world-war-ii/women-in-world-war-ii
Many women during WWII experienced things that they had never done before. Before the war began women were supposed to be “perfect”. The house always had to be clean, dinner ready on the table, laundry done, and have themselves as well as their children ready for every event of the day. Once the war began and men were drafted, women had to take on the men’s role as well as their own. Women now fixed cars, worked in factories, played baseball, handled the finances, and so forth. So, what challenges and opportunities did women face on the home front during WWII? Women had many opportunities like playing baseball and working, they also faced many hardships, such as not having enough food, money, and clothing.
World War Two was the period where women came out of their shells and was finally recognized of what they’re capable of doing. Unlike World War One, men weren’t the only ones who were shined upon. Women played many significant roles in the war which contributed to the allied victory in World War Two. They contributed to the war in many different ways; some found themselves in the heat of the battle, and or at the home front either in the industries or at homes to help with the war effort as a woman.
World War II, the most destructive and devastating conflict that the globe would ever would be weighed upon, was a threat to eliminate the balance of the nations. Germany, Japan, and Italy utilized their military power, placing the world at peril in 1939 through 1945. However, the period beckoned for opportunity, also. Women desired the chance to serve for their country. They wanted others to recognize that they weren’t going to be idle during this mass era. Women to have rights and responsibilities in World War II would affect their view of their roles in history forever.
World War II was the largest and most violent armed conflict in the history of mankind.
Men have always been looked upon as the leading sex. Looking back through history women have been the ones who take care of the home and children, while men are the ones who work and go to war. However in recent years there’s no doubt that women have become much more equal in the work force. Nevertheless men are still the ones who are forced to fight our wars when the time calls for it. Many think that women should be entirely equal to men having their choice to be drafted taken away but the fact is that they are physically at a disadvantage, too emotionally oriented, and the increase of female presence would have a more negative impact in the military in the way of social interactions.
"From Home Front to Front Line." Women in War. Ed. Cecilia Lee and Paul Edward Strong. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. The Churchill Centre. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
World War I is remembered as a soldier's conflict for the six million men who
"Women in WWII at a Glance." The National WWII Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.
When the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps was established in May of 1942,2 women were not conscripted like their husbands, fathers, and brothers;3 their service was wholly voluntary, and as such the WAC had difficulty acquiring its projected quota. A variety of theories had been proposed in an effort to explain this shortage of volunteers. For example, some presumed that since America, unlike Europe, was not being bombed, the women here did not feel a similar sense of urgency to join the Army. This excuse, however, was considered unacceptable because Canada, a country which also remained unscathed, seemed to have no problem with female recruitment. By the year 1944, more than 37,000 of the 12,000,000 Canadian women had joined the armed forces, as opposed to the 175,000 of the 135,000,000 American women.4 Others suggested that many women felt obliged to stay home in order to support their parents or friends whose sons or husbands had already gone to war.5 One Saturday Evening Post writer even bla...
When we look at the history of women’s paid employment in Canada, we can see that society has come a long way. Previously, women’s work was in the home, in the private sphere. Her work consisted of taking care uniquely of the home and the children. Rarely, would we see women working for a wage expect for poor women; only because, their families needed the income. Mainly, the only jobs that were available for women were domestic service, a job that relates to the private sphere of the home. People believed that if a woman had paid employment, she was taking away a paycheck from a man, or she would become too manly.
When the war began men had to leave their families and jobs behind. World War I was a complete war because all of the world’s assets had to be used and the entire nation’s population was involved. Anyone that had the ability to work had to work. The women had to take up jobs and went through a lot changes in order to support their families during the war. World War I gave women with the chance to have a significant part in the victory of the war which had an impact them and changed the lives of all women forever.