"The War" - What did the excerpt you viewed from the documentary entitled, "The War" reveal about conditions on the U.S. home front during World War Two?
The excerpt I watched was from the "Letters to the home front" series the video: "Anzio: Babe writes home". This video followed the letters Babe Ciarlo sent home to his family while he was at Anzio. His letters home frequently said that "there was nothing going on" he was frequently bored, and usually eating at the chow line when he wrote his letters. His family eventually realized all of this was not the case. Though the video did not mention censorship by the government, I'm sure this played a large role in the topics of his letters. His family constantly sent him letters and pictures of his babies and his wife and mother. They sent him letters with family members' names who lived in Rome hoping he would have time to visit them. All of this truly depicts the illusion and deception the home front bought into in WWII. They believed that he was okay, that he was bored, that he was well fed, that no one was dying, until they saw news reports about Anzio and the large deaths there. When in reality, it was an extremely brutal battle. The impact of propaganda and censorship are exemplified by this case.
Very good observations, and I appreciate you sharing them with the class. Babe seems like he was quite the good young man, and I believe your comments are correct. Babe's effort to protect his family from awareness of the realities of war that he was experiencing inadvertently contributed to the home front perception that this war was one big adventure. I encourage you to learn more about Babe Ciarlo through this documentary or otherwise. His story is one of many powerful human interest stories that come out of World War Two.
The conditions for the Japanese-Americans were horrendous. These men and women of all ages were uprooted and moved to a camp in the middle of the desert. This seemed to have happened very quickly with little notice. Many Americans, even questioned the absence of Japanese in their area. Burt Wilson stated that “was very difficult for us to understand because we didn’t see Sammy or any Japanese, at least I didn’t, any Japanese-American as the enemy.” It shows that some Americans were not attempting to put these men and women out of their own land and were even confused by it. It also seemed very unfair that Japanese men and women were being racially profiled, but someone from Germany or Italy were often not messed with. Executive Order 9066 goes down in American history another provision to maintain order during the time of war, but it seems like this order was unneeded. Japanese-Americans pledged their allegiance to America every day, all while their heart was with America as well.
It is refreshing to learn that there were some Americans who were alarmed by the disappearance of Japanese Americans that they considered friends from their neighborhoods. It makes you wonder if sometimes that our leadership drives the prejudice in this country.
The excerpt entitled "Rationing and Recycling" showed the concern and effort of Americans during World War Two. They were willing to do almost anything to help their boys overseas and felt like they were really helping when they did. Everything from cans to food to gasoline was rationed or the people were simply encouraged by propaganda to use less of it. One man interviewed, Jim Sherman, described what he did as, "I guess the deep down feeling I had is that they made us sacrifice and if we were sacrificing, we would somehow feel closer to the war effort." People tore up their kitchens and scavenged everywhere they could to find rubber and metals to donate. "Victory Bins" were located on street corners to collect these materials. A story from Luverne, Minnesota included a Civil War memorial to the Union dead being taken apart to melt down for supplies. Each of these small stories that were shared show the level of dedication that some Americans had towards helping the war effort.
Several interesting observations in your comments, particularly the effort of Americans to contribute, but also the propaganda effort to do so. It is also interesting that an American felt he was being made to sacrifice to feel closer to the war effort. Contributing to the war effort may have been a way of maintaining support for the war as well.
I watched the clip from the censorship portion regarding the Life magazine photo, entitled "Here Lie Three Americans." It drew heavily on the text from the article. I found especially interesting that though it was recognized that these deaths were a tragedy, there was still a twist put on it to push patriotism and the cause of the war. The way they went about it seemed especially odd to me. They did not describe these men as people, did not emphasize the utter humanness of this tragedy, didn't name the dead boys or mention anything about their lives, about who they were as people, about what was lost there. Instead what was lost was "three units of freedom, which must rise again." (Paraphrase, not direct quote.) This is a curious kind of dehumanization, since you usually see people avoiding talking about the dead as actual people in an attempt to turn opinion against them. But in this case it's the opposite. For even as shocking as the fact this was published was, it was still propaganda. And in order for this propaganda to be affective this subtle dehumanization was necessary. For if readers knew their names, knew their lives, were reminded that these boys were people, not just "units of freedom", they may start thinking about their sons, their brothers, their husbands, and fathers and think "oh my god what if this happens to them" instead of "what a nobel sacrifice." I find this subtle, chilling, and very poignant.
Excellent and astute observations as usual, Clarissa. I think you correctly surmised the intentions of the article. The dead bodies are shocking to Americans at the time, but, at the same time, the article still stresses the point of continuing the struggle and does depersonalize the deaths by keeping the names vague, thereby preventing or at least minimizing the possibility of protest.
I viewed the clip entitled “Pearl Harbor: the attack.” This fairly short scene of the documentary features the interview of a Japanese citizen by the name of Daniel Inouye. He and his family were preparing themselves for church when a few people outside became hysterical. It was then that he saw Japanese aircraft flying over and immediately knew what was happening. The fact that Pearl Harbor was a naval base and citizens dwelling in it were going to church as usual shows that they viewed their homeland as secure and peaceful. They had never experienced anything like this before in their lives. A surprise attack on their land by an enemy nation was a complete novelty to them. This shows the illusion that blinded many Americans during WWII. They believed that everything was alright and that they had no cause for fear, especially since they were “safe and sound” within their nation’s borders.
Your observation is also key in addressing why the attack occurred. I think Americans, including American leadership, was under the delusion that Pearl Harbor was secure. Daniel Inouye is a fascinating man in American history. He will fight in World War Two, despite the internment of Japanese Americans, and he will go on to serve in Congress.
In "Babe Writes Home," is showed how censorship during the war heavily influenced the letters that were being sent home. The whole time he was at war, the letters being sent how were extremely positive, and he almost seemed bored. However, this was not the truth. It is only what the government wanted the home front to think. Everything was not positive, and lives were being lost and the battles were gruesome and the men were being worn out mentally and physically. If there was a day where he was in battle, he would lie and say that he was either not doing anything or doing something relaxing or fun. He would mention how he would even go swimming in the sea for fun, and how nothing ever happens where he was at. In reality, he was in terrible battles that his family would never know about.
Babe did see much combat. The Anzio campaign was brutal in and of itself. His efforts to protect his family from the realities of combat that he was experiencing inadvertently contributed to the censored perspective of WWII combat that most Americans believed.
I viewed "The Hispanic Experience in World War II." In this portion, the Hispanic Bill Lansford and Pete Arias recall many memories of serving in World War II. Joining the Marines, Lansford and Arias were both members of the well-remembered Carlson's Raiders - a group led by the ingenious Evans Carlson, full of embraced diversity, and a mantra of "Gung Ho." Lansford and Arias experienced an acceptance of their background from all members, especially with Texans, with whom they have had tensions with for centuries before. The military had become a melting pot of culture, a microcosm of the growing pot of the entire nation. Additionally during the war, many Hispanics were able to move away from traditional agricultural careers and into industrial jobs making war equipment. World War II opened up new doors for Hispanics that had been long closed to them before.
What I like about your comments is the realization of the profound changes that World War Two had upon America, including the movement of hispanics into industrial jobs. Your comments make me wonder whether or not Hispanics were more readily accepted into their military service than African Americans during World War Two; could be interesting research.
The excerpt “Here Lie Three Americans” from “The War” revealed that Americans were very sheltered from the realities of war. War at this time was prone to have propaganda surrounding it, making the American people believe that it was heroic and dream-like. Many Americans were not aware of the actual tragedies that were occurring from war because of the United States government censoring what the people saw and heard. This photo of three dead Americans was the first photo that the American people saw of dead United States soldiers. The Soldier’s gore from their death is not shown in the picture, most likely because the United States government did not want a picture that was too graphic for the people. The men that were shown were not given specific names or positions to show the American people that this could be any soldiers in the war. The government released this picture in hopes that American citizens would realize that these men are dying heroically for their country. They wanted the people to see that their freedom was being threatened by the war and they should do whatever they can to prevent their freedom from being further provoked. The picture was presented to the American people to further their want to win the war as quickly and efficiently as possible with patriotism.
Very good observations, Christy. As shocking as these pictures were at the time, they were still very 'sanitized' and printed for a purpose. They represented heroic sacrifice that still maintained the falsehood that American boys always died in heroic ways with little suffering.
I focused on the “The Hispanic Experience in World War II” and watched a video on Carlson’s Raiders. This group was significant because, at this time, hispanics were gaining opportunities for military service. The man interviewed said that the group had formed their “own America,” as members were diverse, containing Jews, Hispanics, Italians, Indians, etc. The man said Latinos wanted to prove they’re just as patriotic as a blue-eyed blond guy. At first, like many Latinos, he did not feel welcomed, especially from Texans. However the group became a melting pot and were able to work collaboratively and respect each other’s backgrounds.The pdf attached to the section explains that Hispanics were not identified as a race on military records until the Vietnam War, which I found very interesting. So the exact number who served during WWII is unknown, but it is estimated that the number ranges between 250,000 and 500,000.
Excellent! So glad to see that you did further research to learn more. The diversity of this group is an exciting development of World War Two, and it is interesting to see how minorities want to prove that they are true Americans or can serve as well as any American. To be regarded as an accepted American with equal opportunities is what many, if not all, Americans seek to achieve. Americans of minority descent were hoping their service in WW2 would provide full acceptance for them.
"The War" segment on rationing and recycling was interesting on who they depicted doing what action. Most of the marketing or rationing idea were presented to either the child or wife of each family. For example, in the recycling of bacon fat grease, the commercial to conserve the grease showed Pluto and Minny Mouse, characters from Disney, to attract the younger audience to encourage their parents to conserve. The recycling of metals also marketed to the children by showing kids finding metals and giving them to junkyards to be recycled; this marketing technique obviously worked as children were the most avid collectors in Mobile, Alabama, collecting up to 22 million pounds in a year. Another commercial stated rules to help ration food: Don't waste anything, buy only what is necessary, salvage what you don't need, and share what you have. This applied to all middle class families, as rationing gasoline, fuel oil, rubber, sugar, butter, shoes, whiskey, chewing gum, matches, cigarettes, and coffee. The conditions revealed by the documentary depicted the nuclear family, minus the breadwinner, doing everything possible to conserve for the war. It was fed down every families throats that their efforts would help the nation in conservation to supply the troops with the necessary materials.
Very good and thorough comments. They indicate the degree and multiplicity of methods that were undertaken to encourage rationing and conservation for the war effort.
The video, "Anzio: Babe writes home", shows the lies that soldiers would tell their families due to the censorship of the government (and also the family's piece of mind). Babe tells his family that he doesn't have much time to write because he has to get in the "chow line". He also talks about how he does not really do much other than sleep, eat, and on occasion he gets to swim in the sea. His dad discusses how he never said anything negative; everything he sent was "always positive and up-beat". Babe's family thought that he would visit family in Rome, when in reality he was on the gruesome battle field. This video illustrates how the home front was misinformed of the true happenings of World War II. War was glamorized to the point where it appeared more of a relaxing vacation with plenty of food, sleep, and swimming. As we all know, WWII was the exact opposite.
Good job communicating the realities of war that Babe was trying to shield his family from. I think this indicates Babe's character and strength as well that he was able to compose these letters and put his families needs first while he was experiencing some of the most difficult circumstances that a human being could ever experience.
I watched the video “Anzio: Babe writes home”. The excerpt talked about a man named Bobby Cannavale. He served on the front lines at Anzio beach. He would constantly write back and fourth to his family but he never revealed his experiences in his letters home. Cannavale would write things such as they are having beautiful weather, he’s eating a ton of food, and that everything is running pretty smoothly there. His family would read about the different battles in the paper but they never associated the danger with Bobby because he was always writing that everything is fine and there is no problem. He always remembered to assure his family that he was coming home soon. In reality, conditions were extremely poor and battle was very difficult. Bobby was suffering but he was using censorship to protect his family from knowing what is really going on. He needed to have a positive mindset.
“The Four Towns” documentary showed how oblivious the American People were to the conditions of the War and the atrocities the soldiers faced while fighting. Luverne, Sacramento, Waterbury, and Mobile all continued on with their lives, and the people interviewed gave off a nonchalant attitude, like the war was not to affect the lives of the American people. This occurred primarily because of the censorship and the lack of of factual detail given to the People. One man, Quentin Anneson, from Luverne, dreamt of flying planes and envisioned himself being on one someday. Sacramento was very culturally diverse- they had a large population of Japanese people. Prior to going to war, the men were going about their lives without care. In Waterbury, the war did not affect the art of their crafts and quality of work. There was a large italian presence in the community, all of which were liked and respected. The shift in attitudes is what was most shocking, especially in Sacramento. The Japanese were respected highly in the community before the war, but after the war, the Japanese American internment and the overall attitude towards the Japanese during the war changed the respect immensely. They were looked at as enemies or not human, and racism really began to become prevalent in American Life.
"Wartown: War Production in America" showed insight to the transformation of Mobile Alabama. Mobile Alabama, like most American towns had few jobs available and a low amount of industrial growth prior to the U.S. committing to World War Two. Only 139 cars were produced during the entirety of the war. General Motors started making tanks, and Ford made bombing planes. The U.S. completely committed to the conversion to total warfare. America build ships and planes faster than the enemy could take them down. More than half of the worlds manufacturing industry was located in the U.S. In Mobile Alabama, the mayor converted a local train station to a manufacturing plant. This conversion created 17,000 jobs. The weekly work schedule consisted of all seven days. Monday through Friday workers labored 12 hours, Saturday the work day was reduced to 10 hours, and on Sunday the Work day was 8 hours. Industrial plants produced materials 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the influx of Jobs also came immigration to this small town. African Americans came to find jobs, they were able to make money and build a life in this area. Many whites did not mind the African Americans until they started to progress. Whites became angry after African Americans bought houses and cars. Police would pull Blacks over and give them speeding tickets for speeding 1 mile over the limit. Women also came to Mobile to work for war efforts. In 1983, 6 million women were now in the work force. Half of which worked on assembly lines or in manufacturing plants. Day cares were created to care for the children of the working women. Emma Becher came to Mobile to work in the factories. After some time she became the supervisor of her area and then became the head of quality control for the plant. The industrial movement of World War two also created a movement for African Americans and Women. During this time they progressed and gained more equality. The old residence of Mobile became annoyed with the influx of migration to this area and the new comers referred to them as "rednecks". This was because they were mainly small farming simple people. I find it very interesting how many different people lived in one area, working women, farming families, and African Americans all shared the same hometown. The Industrial movement of this town represents only one small part of the U.S. that was building and thriving, both economically and culturally.
What is perceptive about your comments is the amazing effort that was put forth to undergo conversion and produce for the war effort, but there were problems that occurred along with it. Unfortunately, some of these problems related to ongoing racial tensions in a time when it was hoped that Americans would completely unite for the war effort.
The excerpt that I watched was named "Rationing and Recycling". The name explains what is was about, but the specific examples gave the details of the giant effort to help in the war, in any way possible. Some people interviewed in this clip, including Jim Sherman, say that the country was attempting to "change our attitude" to believe that everything that was done would affect the war effort somehow. Things such as gas were used sparingly, and so were things as small as flour. There were four rules that were shown in a commercial of the time that said "Don't waste anything, buy only what is necessary, salvage what you don't need, share what you have". This is a good description of the way people lived during the war and it was interesting to see the efforts people went through to help their military men and women.
Two key observations here: The amount of effort undertaken to encourage the people to provide and feel like they were a part of the war effort, and the amount of effort people actually put into the war effort.
The excerpt that I watched was "Anzio: Babe Writes Home." This video begins by detailing the hardships and specific war numbers that help one to grasp the true dangers the soldiers were faced with. "7,000 Allied personnel were killed during the Anzio campaign, 36,000 more were wounded or missing and another 44,000 were classified as non-battle casualties." Besides the death toll, victims of frost-bite, shell shock, and madness, Babe Ciarlo still wrote home to his family describing how everything was fine, how he was frequently bored, and always seemed to be going to the chow line. On the front line with the 3rd Infantry Division, Babe Ciarlo saw all of what was happening, took part in some of it, and still never said a word about any of it in his letters home. Babe never details about, or tells his family exactly what is happening over there in the war, probably because he does not want his family to worry or know the true reality of the situation while he's serving. He and others serving tended to write back to their families frequently, but never truly detailed the harsh realities they were experiencing, ultimately creating the illusion in America that everything over there was great and going smoothly. The letters, along with the government regulation through censorship, led millions of families to believe that everything was going smoothly for their troops in the war, when in reality they had no clue as to what they were experiencing in the brutal war.
Excellent analysis of this segment. People at home really seemed to be unaware of the realities of war or maybe they just didn't want to admit what their 'boy's might be experiencing. The soldiers' letters homes typically, in a very brave sense, contributed to this unawareness or hope that things weren't really that bad.
The excerpt I watched was "Anzio: Babe Writes Home", this video tells the story of the Anzio campaign and the hardships the men faced, focusing on one man in particular, Babe. During the Anzio campaign 7,000 men were killed along with 44,000 men killed by non-battle means. Babe Carlo was on the front lines of Anzio campaign with the 3rd Infantry Division. He witnessed all the horrors of home while serving but never wrote about them. He wrote letters home that were uplifting and claimed he was having a good time, one time even saying he was going to go for a swim and another time saying he ate a dozen pork chops. His family believed his stories and sent him letters in Italian for him to visit family in Rome, when in reality Babe was in the middle of the gruesome battles happening around him. The letters from Babe and many other soldiers gave the American public that the war was more of a vacation then a war. The public believed that the soldiers were over seas eating seeing sites and occasionally kicking some German butt. The American public was unaware of what their sons and husbands were actually facing over seas.
Very good observations. The character and strength of Babe Ciarlo really shines through in wanting to spare his family from worry while he faced some of the worst circumstances imaginable.
The excerpt I watched was from the "Letters to the home front" series the video: "Anzio: Babe writes home". This video followed the letters Babe Ciarlo sent home to his family while he was at Anzio. His letters home frequently said that "there was nothing going on" he was frequently bored, and usually eating at the chow line when he wrote his letters. His family eventually realized all of this was not the case. Though the video did not mention censorship by the government, I'm sure this played a large role in the topics of his letters. His family constantly sent him letters and pictures of his babies and his wife and mother. They sent him letters with family members' names who lived in Rome hoping he would have time to visit them. All of this truly depicts the illusion and deception the home front bought into in WWII. They believed that he was okay, that he was bored, that he was well fed, that no one was dying, until they saw news reports about Anzio and the large deaths there. When in reality, it was an extremely brutal battle. The impact of propaganda and censorship are exemplified by this case.
ReplyDeleteVery good observations, and I appreciate you sharing them with the class. Babe seems like he was quite the good young man, and I believe your comments are correct. Babe's effort to protect his family from awareness of the realities of war that he was experiencing inadvertently contributed to the home front perception that this war was one big adventure. I encourage you to learn more about Babe Ciarlo through this documentary or otherwise. His story is one of many powerful human interest stories that come out of World War Two.
DeleteThe conditions for the Japanese-Americans were horrendous. These men and women of all ages were uprooted and moved to a camp in the middle of the desert. This seemed to have happened very quickly with little notice. Many Americans, even questioned the absence of Japanese in their area. Burt Wilson stated that “was very difficult for us to understand because we didn’t see Sammy or any Japanese, at least I didn’t, any Japanese-American as the enemy.” It shows that some Americans were not attempting to put these men and women out of their own land and were even confused by it. It also seemed very unfair that Japanese men and women were being racially profiled, but someone from Germany or Italy were often not messed with. Executive Order 9066 goes down in American history another provision to maintain order during the time of war, but it seems like this order was unneeded. Japanese-Americans pledged their allegiance to America every day, all while their heart was with America as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is refreshing to learn that there were some Americans who were alarmed by the disappearance of Japanese Americans that they considered friends from their neighborhoods. It makes you wonder if sometimes that our leadership drives the prejudice in this country.
DeleteThe excerpt entitled "Rationing and Recycling" showed the concern and effort of Americans during World War Two. They were willing to do almost anything to help their boys overseas and felt like they were really helping when they did. Everything from cans to food to gasoline was rationed or the people were simply encouraged by propaganda to use less of it. One man interviewed, Jim Sherman, described what he did as, "I guess the deep down feeling I had is that they made us sacrifice and if we were sacrificing, we would somehow feel closer to the war effort." People tore up their kitchens and scavenged everywhere they could to find rubber and metals to donate. "Victory Bins" were located on street corners to collect these materials. A story from Luverne, Minnesota included a Civil War memorial to the Union dead being taken apart to melt down for supplies. Each of these small stories that were shared show the level of dedication that some Americans had towards helping the war effort.
ReplyDeleteSeveral interesting observations in your comments, particularly the effort of Americans to contribute, but also the propaganda effort to do so. It is also interesting that an American felt he was being made to sacrifice to feel closer to the war effort. Contributing to the war effort may have been a way of maintaining support for the war as well.
DeleteI watched the clip from the censorship portion regarding the Life magazine photo, entitled "Here Lie Three Americans." It drew heavily on the text from the article. I found especially interesting that though it was recognized that these deaths were a tragedy, there was still a twist put on it to push patriotism and the cause of the war. The way they went about it seemed especially odd to me. They did not describe these men as people, did not emphasize the utter humanness of this tragedy, didn't name the dead boys or mention anything about their lives, about who they were as people, about what was lost there. Instead what was lost was "three units of freedom, which must rise again." (Paraphrase, not direct quote.) This is a curious kind of dehumanization, since you usually see people avoiding talking about the dead as actual people in an attempt to turn opinion against them. But in this case it's the opposite. For even as shocking as the fact this was published was, it was still propaganda. And in order for this propaganda to be affective this subtle dehumanization was necessary. For if readers knew their names, knew their lives, were reminded that these boys were people, not just "units of freedom", they may start thinking about their sons, their brothers, their husbands, and fathers and think "oh my god what if this happens to them" instead of "what a nobel sacrifice." I find this subtle, chilling, and very poignant.
ReplyDeleteExcellent and astute observations as usual, Clarissa. I think you correctly surmised the intentions of the article. The dead bodies are shocking to Americans at the time, but, at the same time, the article still stresses the point of continuing the struggle and does depersonalize the deaths by keeping the names vague, thereby preventing or at least minimizing the possibility of protest.
DeleteI viewed the clip entitled “Pearl Harbor: the attack.” This fairly short scene of the documentary features the interview of a Japanese citizen by the name of Daniel Inouye. He and his family were preparing themselves for church when a few people outside became hysterical. It was then that he saw Japanese aircraft flying over and immediately knew what was happening. The fact that Pearl Harbor was a naval base and citizens dwelling in it were going to church as usual shows that they viewed their homeland as secure and peaceful. They had never experienced anything like this before in their lives. A surprise attack on their land by an enemy nation was a complete novelty to them. This shows the illusion that blinded many Americans during WWII. They believed that everything was alright and that they had no cause for fear, especially since they were “safe and sound” within their nation’s borders.
ReplyDeleteYour observation is also key in addressing why the attack occurred. I think Americans, including American leadership, was under the delusion that Pearl Harbor was secure. Daniel Inouye is a fascinating man in American history. He will fight in World War Two, despite the internment of Japanese Americans, and he will go on to serve in Congress.
DeleteIn "Babe Writes Home," is showed how censorship during the war heavily influenced the letters that were being sent home. The whole time he was at war, the letters being sent how were extremely positive, and he almost seemed bored. However, this was not the truth. It is only what the government wanted the home front to think. Everything was not positive, and lives were being lost and the battles were gruesome and the men were being worn out mentally and physically. If there was a day where he was in battle, he would lie and say that he was either not doing anything or doing something relaxing or fun. He would mention how he would even go swimming in the sea for fun, and how nothing ever happens where he was at. In reality, he was in terrible battles that his family would never know about.
ReplyDeleteBabe did see much combat. The Anzio campaign was brutal in and of itself. His efforts to protect his family from the realities of combat that he was experiencing inadvertently contributed to the censored perspective of WWII combat that most Americans believed.
DeleteI viewed "The Hispanic Experience in World War II." In this portion, the Hispanic Bill Lansford and Pete Arias recall many memories of serving in World War II. Joining the Marines, Lansford and Arias were both members of the well-remembered Carlson's Raiders - a group led by the ingenious Evans Carlson, full of embraced diversity, and a mantra of "Gung Ho." Lansford and Arias experienced an acceptance of their background from all members, especially with Texans, with whom they have had tensions with for centuries before. The military had become a melting pot of culture, a microcosm of the growing pot of the entire nation. Additionally during the war, many Hispanics were able to move away from traditional agricultural careers and into industrial jobs making war equipment. World War II opened up new doors for Hispanics that had been long closed to them before.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about your comments is the realization of the profound changes that World War Two had upon America, including the movement of hispanics into industrial jobs. Your comments make me wonder whether or not Hispanics were more readily accepted into their military service than African Americans during World War Two; could be interesting research.
DeleteThe excerpt “Here Lie Three Americans” from “The War” revealed that Americans were very sheltered from the realities of war. War at this time was prone to have propaganda surrounding it, making the American people believe that it was heroic and dream-like. Many Americans were not aware of the actual tragedies that were occurring from war because of the United States government censoring what the people saw and heard. This photo of three dead Americans was the first photo that the American people saw of dead United States soldiers. The Soldier’s gore from their death is not shown in the picture, most likely because the United States government did not want a picture that was too graphic for the people. The men that were shown were not given specific names or positions to show the American people that this could be any soldiers in the war. The government released this picture in hopes that American citizens would realize that these men are dying heroically for their country. They wanted the people to see that their freedom was being threatened by the war and they should do whatever they can to prevent their freedom from being further provoked. The picture was presented to the American people to further their want to win the war as quickly and efficiently as possible with patriotism.
ReplyDeleteVery good observations, Christy. As shocking as these pictures were at the time, they were still very 'sanitized' and printed for a purpose. They represented heroic sacrifice that still maintained the falsehood that American boys always died in heroic ways with little suffering.
DeleteI focused on the “The Hispanic Experience in World War II” and watched a video on Carlson’s Raiders. This group was significant because, at this time, hispanics were gaining opportunities for military service. The man interviewed said that the group had formed their “own America,” as members were diverse, containing Jews, Hispanics, Italians, Indians, etc. The man said Latinos wanted to prove they’re just as patriotic as a blue-eyed blond guy. At first, like many Latinos, he did not feel welcomed, especially from Texans. However the group became a melting pot and were able to work collaboratively and respect each other’s backgrounds.The pdf attached to the section explains that Hispanics were not identified as a race on military records until the Vietnam War, which I found very interesting. So the exact number who served during WWII is unknown, but it is estimated that the number ranges between 250,000 and 500,000.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! So glad to see that you did further research to learn more. The diversity of this group is an exciting development of World War Two, and it is interesting to see how minorities want to prove that they are true Americans or can serve as well as any American. To be regarded as an accepted American with equal opportunities is what many, if not all, Americans seek to achieve. Americans of minority descent were hoping their service in WW2 would provide full acceptance for them.
Delete"The War" segment on rationing and recycling was interesting on who they depicted doing what action. Most of the marketing or rationing idea were presented to either the child or wife of each family. For example, in the recycling of bacon fat grease, the commercial to conserve the grease showed Pluto and Minny Mouse, characters from Disney, to attract the younger audience to encourage their parents to conserve. The recycling of metals also marketed to the children by showing kids finding metals and giving them to junkyards to be recycled; this marketing technique obviously worked as children were the most avid collectors in Mobile, Alabama, collecting up to 22 million pounds in a year.
ReplyDeleteAnother commercial stated rules to help ration food: Don't waste anything, buy only what is necessary, salvage what you don't need, and share what you have. This applied to all middle class families, as rationing gasoline, fuel oil, rubber, sugar, butter, shoes, whiskey, chewing gum, matches, cigarettes, and coffee. The conditions revealed by the documentary depicted the nuclear family, minus the breadwinner, doing everything possible to conserve for the war. It was fed down every families throats that their efforts would help the nation in conservation to supply the troops with the necessary materials.
Very good and thorough comments. They indicate the degree and multiplicity of methods that were undertaken to encourage rationing and conservation for the war effort.
DeleteThe video, "Anzio: Babe writes home", shows the lies that soldiers would tell their families due to the censorship of the government (and also the family's piece of mind). Babe tells his family that he doesn't have much time to write because he has to get in the "chow line". He also talks about how he does not really do much other than sleep, eat, and on occasion he gets to swim in the sea. His dad discusses how he never said anything negative; everything he sent was "always positive and up-beat". Babe's family thought that he would visit family in Rome, when in reality he was on the gruesome battle field. This video illustrates how the home front was misinformed of the true happenings of World War II. War was glamorized to the point where it appeared more of a relaxing vacation with plenty of food, sleep, and swimming. As we all know, WWII was the exact opposite.
ReplyDeleteGood job communicating the realities of war that Babe was trying to shield his family from. I think this indicates Babe's character and strength as well that he was able to compose these letters and put his families needs first while he was experiencing some of the most difficult circumstances that a human being could ever experience.
DeleteI watched the video “Anzio: Babe writes home”. The excerpt talked about a man named Bobby Cannavale. He served on the front lines at Anzio beach. He would constantly write back and fourth to his family but he never revealed his experiences in his letters home. Cannavale would write things such as they are having beautiful weather, he’s eating a ton of food, and that everything is running pretty smoothly there. His family would read about the different battles in the paper but they never associated the danger with Bobby because he was always writing that everything is fine and there is no problem. He always remembered to assure his family that he was coming home soon. In reality, conditions were extremely poor and battle was very difficult. Bobby was suffering but he was using censorship to protect his family from knowing what is really going on. He needed to have a positive mindset.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if families wanted to hold onto the delusion that it wasn't so bad. I wonder if it was a way for them to cope.
Delete“The Four Towns” documentary showed how oblivious the American People were to the conditions of the War and the atrocities the soldiers faced while fighting. Luverne, Sacramento, Waterbury, and Mobile all continued on with their lives, and the people interviewed gave off a nonchalant attitude, like the war was not to affect the lives of the American people. This occurred primarily because of the censorship and the lack of of factual detail given to the People. One man, Quentin Anneson, from Luverne, dreamt of flying planes and envisioned himself being on one someday. Sacramento was very culturally diverse- they had a large population of Japanese people. Prior to going to war, the men were going about their lives without care. In Waterbury, the war did not affect the art of their crafts and quality of work. There was a large italian presence in the community, all of which were liked and respected. The shift in attitudes is what was most shocking, especially in Sacramento. The Japanese were respected highly in the community before the war, but after the war, the Japanese American internment and the overall attitude towards the Japanese during the war changed the respect immensely. They were looked at as enemies or not human, and racism really began to become prevalent in American Life.
ReplyDeleteYour comments reflect some of the naiveté that Americans had concerning events over seas. They did not seem to expect that war would soon come and encompass much of their lives.
Delete"Wartown: War Production in America" showed insight to the transformation of Mobile Alabama. Mobile Alabama, like most American towns had few jobs available and a low amount of industrial growth prior to the U.S. committing to World War Two. Only 139 cars were produced during the entirety of the war. General Motors started making tanks, and Ford made bombing planes. The U.S. completely committed to the conversion to total warfare. America build ships and planes faster than the enemy could take them down. More than half of the worlds manufacturing industry was located in the U.S. In Mobile Alabama, the mayor converted a local train station to a manufacturing plant. This conversion created 17,000 jobs. The weekly work schedule consisted of all seven days. Monday through Friday workers labored 12 hours, Saturday the work day was reduced to 10 hours, and on Sunday the Work day was 8 hours. Industrial plants produced materials 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the influx of Jobs also came immigration to this small town. African Americans came to find jobs, they were able to make money and build a life in this area. Many whites did not mind the African Americans until they started to progress. Whites became angry after African Americans bought houses and cars. Police would pull Blacks over and give them speeding tickets for speeding 1 mile over the limit. Women also came to Mobile to work for war efforts. In 1983, 6 million women were now in the work force. Half of which worked on assembly lines or in manufacturing plants. Day cares were created to care for the children of the working women. Emma Becher came to Mobile to work in the factories. After some time she became the supervisor of her area and then became the head of quality control for the plant. The industrial movement of World War two also created a movement for African Americans and Women. During this time they progressed and gained more equality. The old residence of Mobile became annoyed with the influx of migration to this area and the new comers referred to them as "rednecks". This was because they were mainly small farming simple people. I find it very interesting how many different people lived in one area, working women, farming families, and African Americans all shared the same hometown. The Industrial movement of this town represents only one small part of the U.S. that was building and thriving, both economically and culturally.
ReplyDeleteWhat is perceptive about your comments is the amazing effort that was put forth to undergo conversion and produce for the war effort, but there were problems that occurred along with it. Unfortunately, some of these problems related to ongoing racial tensions in a time when it was hoped that Americans would completely unite for the war effort.
DeleteThe excerpt that I watched was named "Rationing and Recycling". The name explains what is was about, but the specific examples gave the details of the giant effort to help in the war, in any way possible. Some people interviewed in this clip, including Jim Sherman, say that the country was attempting to "change our attitude" to believe that everything that was done would affect the war effort somehow. Things such as gas were used sparingly, and so were things as small as flour. There were four rules that were shown in a commercial of the time that said "Don't waste anything, buy only what is necessary, salvage what you don't need, share what you have". This is a good description of the way people lived during the war and it was interesting to see the efforts people went through to help their military men and women.
ReplyDeleteTwo key observations here: The amount of effort undertaken to encourage the people to provide and feel like they were a part of the war effort, and the amount of effort people actually put into the war effort.
DeleteThe excerpt that I watched was "Anzio: Babe Writes Home." This video begins by detailing the hardships and specific war numbers that help one to grasp the true dangers the soldiers were faced with. "7,000 Allied personnel were killed during the Anzio campaign, 36,000 more were wounded or missing and another 44,000 were classified as non-battle casualties." Besides the death toll, victims of frost-bite, shell shock, and madness, Babe Ciarlo still wrote home to his family describing how everything was fine, how he was frequently bored, and always seemed to be going to the chow line. On the front line with the 3rd Infantry Division, Babe Ciarlo saw all of what was happening, took part in some of it, and still never said a word about any of it in his letters home. Babe never details about, or tells his family exactly what is happening over there in the war, probably because he does not want his family to worry or know the true reality of the situation while he's serving. He and others serving tended to write back to their families frequently, but never truly detailed the harsh realities they were experiencing, ultimately creating the illusion in America that everything over there was great and going smoothly. The letters, along with the government regulation through censorship, led millions of families to believe that everything was going smoothly for their troops in the war, when in reality they had no clue as to what they were experiencing in the brutal war.
ReplyDeleteExcellent analysis of this segment. People at home really seemed to be unaware of the realities of war or maybe they just didn't want to admit what their 'boy's might be experiencing. The soldiers' letters homes typically, in a very brave sense, contributed to this unawareness or hope that things weren't really that bad.
DeleteThe excerpt I watched was "Anzio: Babe Writes Home", this video tells the story of the Anzio campaign and the hardships the men faced, focusing on one man in particular, Babe. During the Anzio campaign 7,000 men were killed along with 44,000 men killed by non-battle means. Babe Carlo was on the front lines of Anzio campaign with the 3rd Infantry Division. He witnessed all the horrors of home while serving but never wrote about them. He wrote letters home that were uplifting and claimed he was having a good time, one time even saying he was going to go for a swim and another time saying he ate a dozen pork chops. His family believed his stories and sent him letters in Italian for him to visit family in Rome, when in reality Babe was in the middle of the gruesome battles happening around him. The letters from Babe and many other soldiers gave the American public that the war was more of a vacation then a war. The public believed that the soldiers were over seas eating seeing sites and occasionally kicking some German butt. The American public was unaware of what their sons and husbands were actually facing over seas.
ReplyDeleteVery good observations. The character and strength of Babe Ciarlo really shines through in wanting to spare his family from worry while he faced some of the worst circumstances imaginable.
Delete