The Effect of WW2

Question 1

How much did Federal expenditure increase by 1940-44?

Answer 1

1940 - $5.3bn Budget ($1.9bn defense)

1944 - $97.2bn Budget ($90bn defense)

Question 2

Which % of the war was paid for by tax?

Answer 2

41% (as opposed to 33% of WW1)

Question 3

What was the highest rate of income tax?

Answer 3

94%

Question 4

How many more Americans paid income tax by 1945?

Answer 4

10 times more - taxation revolution

Question 5

When were the Neutrality Acts 1935 and 1937 revoked?

Answer 5

1939, allowing nations to buy arms but NOT loans

The orders subsequently placed by GB and France revived the US economy

Question 6

When did the US begin to rearm?

Answer 6

1941

Question 7

What did Roosevelt spend on the US Navy in 1940?

Answer 7

$4 billion

Question 8

What did Roosevelt increase the army to in 1941?

Answer 8

1 million men and 7800 aircraft

Question 9

How many more tons of steel did the USA produce than Germany?

Answer 9

6million tons

Question 10

What was the unemployment level in 1941 vs 1943?

Answer 10

1941 - 14%

1943 - 2%

Question 11

What was the GNP in 1941 vs 1945?

Answer 11

1941 - $91 billion

1945 - $214 billion

Question 12

What is an example of government technological investment?

Answer 12

51 new synthetic rubber plants were built

Question 13

How many people moved to California and why?

Answer 13

2 million - it was a centre of military production

Question 14

How many orders for aircraft were placed from abroad by 1940?

Answer 14

10,000 aircraft orders

Question 15

How much did infant mortality fall by in the war years?

Answer 15

1/3

Question 16

How much did farm income increase in the war years?

Answer 16

4 times

Question 17

How much did average life expectancy increase?

Answer 17

3 years (despite war deaths)

Question 18

Which % of women were now employed?

Answer 18

50%

Question 19

How did the gender ratio of car industry workers change?

Answer 19

In 1940, 5% workers were female

In 1945, 50% workers were female

Question 20

Which organisation encouraged equal pay for women?

Answer 20

the War Labour Board

United Electrical Worker’s Union won equal pay case in 1945 - ignored due to end of WW2

Question 21

What happened to the incomes of the upper class?

Answer 21

The richest 5% experienced an income drop of 10%

Question 22

What happened to the incomes of the lower classes?

Answer 22

The poorest 20%’s incomes rose 68% (although this only represented 1% of the US’ wealth, for a total of 5%)

Question 23

Which % of working days were lost to strikes in WW2?

Answer 23

Only 1% - the only major strike was a coal strike in 1943

Question 24

What did unions become?

Answer 24

More moderate with their wage demands. The government supported unions, and even Ford accepted them. As a result employers began paid holidays, pension schemes and health insurance

Question 25

How was there military discrimination?

Answer 25

Few black officers Segregated regiments Sometimes treated worse than POWs

Question 26

How much did the average income of Black people increase?

Answer 26

In 1939 Black people earned 40% of White people's wages, in 1945 this was 60%

Question 27

How many Blacks left the South?

Answer 27

1 million - for better paid jobs in the North

Question 28

Which act outlawed racial discrimination in the military?

Answer 28

Executive Order 8802 in 1941 | prompted by Randolph's march on Washington

Question 29

Why did 2,500 workers go on strike in 1943?

Answer 29

At Packard's Detroit plant - due to the employment of 2 black workers

Question 30

How much did the % of Black voters increase?

Answer 30

1940 - 2% Blacks could vote | 194 - 12% could

Question 31

What did the War Powers Act do?

Answer 31

Increase Roosevelt's authority

Question 32

What did the Office of Price Administration do?

Answer 32

Introduce price/rent controls, manage economy and ration products

Question 33

Why was the Pentagon constructed?

Answer 33

To co-ordinate Gvt, military and economy activity

Question 34

What did the Office (War) Production Board do?

Answer 34

Allocated materials, limited production of consumer goods, issued contracts

Question 35

How many people paid taxes by 1945?

Answer 35

40 million

Question 36

How many ships had been built by 1944?

Answer 36

2250 ships

Question 37

What did Ford produce?

Answer 37

More military equipment than Italy - 10 bombers per day in 1944

Question 38

How many aircraft had been produced by 1944?

Answer 38

96,3000 aircraft

Question 39

How many trucks and Jeeps did the Red Army recieve from USA?

Answer 39

351,000 trucks | 779,000 Jeeps

Question 40

How many miles of telephone cable did the USSR receive from the USA?

Answer 40

956,000 miles of telephone cable

Question 41

How much did corporate profits increase by?

Answer 41

70%

Question 42

How much did real wages increase by?

Answer 42

50%