Connections to Soldiers
Soldiers were prevalent in the lives of civilians living during the war. People both saw military personnel on leave around town and they knew individuals personally who had enlisted to fight in the war. People were connected to those serving because they saw them on the streets and they had known them before they went to war.
Friends
People often personally knew individuals who were fighting abroad. Many young men answered the call to serve and enlisted in the military during World War Two. Students graduating from high school often enlisted to serve their country. As she explains people were not afraid to go to war due to their youth. People were almost eager to enter the fighting for their country. Listen below to her explanation as to why people enlisted. Download the link below to listen below as Ms. Margaret Lee talks about the classmates of hers that enlisted.
|
WAC and WAVES
|
The Women's Army Corps (WAC) and Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) were the female branches of the United States Army and of the United States Navy respectively. They were called to serve in order to fill clerical positions so that men could be moved to active combat areas (Campbell). The WAC and WAVE programs were a first step by the United States military into putting women into service. As Ms. Margaret Lee points out it was very different to have women serving in uniform.
Ms. Margaret Lee notes that the WAC and WAVES women were not the least bit feminine, which made them stand out to a certain degree. They were very noticeable, which aided in the prevalence of the war. Download the link below to listen.
|
Soldiers on Leave
|
With many military bases around the country it was common to see active personnel on leave. This aided in the prevalence of war. People might see military personnel around town as they were going about their daily lives. Listen below to hear about the prevalence of military personnel.
Organizations were also formed to entertain the soldiers. One such organization was the United Service Organization and it sought to alleviate boredom amongst the soldiers as well as provide a place to unwind(Winchell). Many people in the communities surrounding military bases volunteered with these organizations to help soldiers. Download the link below to hear Ms. Margaret Lee talk about these groups.
|