<p> LIFE ON THE HOME FRONT On December 8, FDR asked Congress to declare war on Japan, and 3 days later the U.S. declared war on Germany and Italy. According to the U.S. government, "War is no longer simply a battle between armed forces in the field. It is a struggle in which each side strives to bring to bear against the enemy the coordinated power of every individual and of every material resource at its command. The conflict extends from the soldier in the front line to the citizen in the remotest hamlet in the rear."</p><p>FDR was accurate in his assertion the men, women, and children on the American home front would play an essential role in the Allied fight against the Axis powers in Europe and in the Pacific. Americans worked, conserved, collected, recycled, and scanned the skies, while industry, agriculture, and mass media were all focusing on the war effort. What was it like to live during these trying times? Did Americans benefit during the war, or suffer from the conflict? How did they “pitch in” to help the war effort?</p><p>In this activity, you will be reading three different selections about the American home front in World War II - “Pearl Harbor: Galvanizing the Nation”, “Rationing and War Bonds: Daily Life during the War”, and “Division in Unity: The Internal Conflicts” from Jackdaw Publications. For each, you will use a checklist to monitor your understanding of the content covered in the reading. This content will appear on an online quiz, and you get to choose a specific role to investigate as well. You should also discuss the material with a partner or two to dig deeper into the reading.</p><p>After reading “Division in Unity: The Internal Conflicts”, you should be able to do the following.</p><p> I can present the arguments of the different groups of people that objected to the war.  I realize the reasons why Japanese Americans were interned during the war.  I know the role of organized labor (unions) during the war, and the role of the War Labor Board to keep people working.  I realize that African Americans and Mexican Americans were active in the wartime economy, but were not treated as complete equals.  I can relate to the challenges children faced during the war. After reading “Pearl Harbor: Galvanizing the Nation”, you should be able to do the following.</p><p> I can explain how and why citizens participated in Civil Defense.  I can discuss the various ways in which citizens volunteered during the war.  I understand the impact of war production (“The War Machine”) on the Great Depression.  I know how the War Production Board converted American manufacturing to war related products.  I can explain how women played an important role in the production for the war and how their roles change in society.  I know why the nation was “on the move” during the war, and the impact the moving had on relationships among different groups of Americans.</p><p>After reading “Rationing and War Bonds: Daily Life during the War”, you should be able to do the following.</p><p> I understand why the Office of Price Administration instituted rationing, and how it affected the lives on average Americans.  I can describe why Americans would deal with Mr. Black.  I can give examples of advertising and propaganda and the Office of War Information used to get individuals to support the war effort.  I can discuss the importance of sports and Hollywood during the war.</p><p>Use the reading guide as a checklist. Yup, this is all testable material … and you will be making some creative statements on Tuesday!</p>