Women in World War 2

Women have contributed great ideas, inventions, and discoveries throughout history that have made the world the great place it is today. Throughout history, women’s contributions have been over looked because they were thought to be “inferior” to men. In World War 2 that all changed because women showed that they could do the job done just as well as the men. The role women played in World War 2 helped Canada and the allies win the war. The women’s role was significant because they created organizations to help with combat, they took jobs in the production industry to create materials for the war, and they worked on the home front across Canada to keep order at home while the men were away at war.
Women created many organizations to help with combat, care and training jobs. For the first time in history, women were allowed to enlist in the army and take on a variety of jobs within the army. As in World War 1 many women served as nurses but numerous others joined unofficial women’s service groups such as CATS (Canadian Auxiliary Territorial Service) where women learned various skills such as driving, fixing trucks, reading maps, operating wireless equipment, and giving first aid. With all the special skills the women learned they created organizations to apply these skills and help with the war. The first organization established was the CWAAF (Canadian Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) in July 1941, which was a division of the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force). The next two organizations established were the CWAC (Canadian Women’s Army Corps) in August 1941, WRENS (Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service) in 1942. Over 46000 women signed up with these organizations and contributed their skills and assets to help win the war. Even though women were banned from participating in combat roles, they contributed every other way in the army by providing medical care, repairing vehicles, operating special equipment, and bookkeeping, this work helped greatly because it freed up more men to fight in the war. Many women died going out and volunteering for these jobs just for their countries, they should be remembered for their sacrifices.
Women took jobs in the production industry to create materials to send to the soldiers and help with the war. As in World War 1, women took jobs at weapons and munitions factories and assembled weapons for war. In World War 2, more jobs were available for women. The number of trade’s women could work in rose from 11 to over 50! The new positions available included jobs such as armourers, welders, mechanics, and fitters. By 1944, almost one million women had taken jobs across Canada to help with the war, 260 000 women worked in munitions plants, 4000 worked in ship building, and 4000 worked in construction. Women assembled radio tubes, submachine guns, auto assembly, riveting, and meatpacking. Women at work appeared on billboards with nicknames such as “the Bren Girl” or “Rosie the Riveter”. Even though the women achieved many goals and got a lot of work done, they still had male bosses and earned less than men earn. However, by the end of WW2 women proved that, they could get the job done just as well as men and that the gender line between jobs was beginning to blur!
While the men were away fighting in the war, it was now the woman’s job to keep order at home. Women were left with a tough situation at home because of food rationing, shortage of resources, and government pressure to contribute any extra income to the war. Women overcame the tough obstacles in their paths and took the responsibility of managing heavy farm work, servicing the equipment, running the household, looking after children, and in some cases hunting. Over 800 000 women across Canada had to take up theses duties to help their country during hard times, this shows the silent war women had to cope with that no one recognizes as a major tragedy in WW2.
In conclusion, women had a big role in why Canada and the allies were successful in WW2, their services in the military, production in factories, and efforts on the home front were one of the many reasons the allies won the war. Women made many sacrifices for not just Canada but for victory and freedom in other countries too. The world will never forget “the Bren Girl”.