THE U.S. & WORLD WAR
This poster, produced by Westinghouse during World War II for the War Production Co-Ordinating Committee, was part of the national campaign in the United States to enlist women in the workforce. In the face of acute wartime labor shortages, women were needed in the defense industries, the civilian service, and even the armed forces. Publicity campaigns were aimed at encouraging those women who had never before held jobs to join the workforce. Poster and film images glorified and glamorized the roles of working women and suggested that a woman’s femininity need not be sacrificed. Women were portrayed as attractive, confident, and resolved to do their part to win the war. Of all the images of working women during World War II, the image of women in factories predominates. Rosie the Riveter--the strong, competent woman dressed in overalls and bandanna--was introduced as a symbol of patriotic womanhood. The accoutrements of war work--uniforms, tools, and lunch pails--were incorporated into the revised image of the feminine ideal.
On February 23, 1945, during the battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines raised a flag atop Mount Suribachi. It was taken down, and a second flag was raised. Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured this second flag-raising. Now part of U.S. Navy records, it is one of the most famous war photographs in U.S. history.
During World War II, Navajo men were recruited into the U.S. Army for a war tactic known as the Navajo Code Talkers. The army utilized the Navajo and their language to devise a code used as a disguise against the Japanese. Initially, Navajos were not recognized for their efforts during World War II; however the Navajo Code Talkers were honored on September 17, 1992 at the Pentagon.
Uncle Sam dates back to the War of 1812, but the iconic "I want YOU!" poster was created by James Montgomery Flagg as a recruiting tool for World War II. An old man in patriotic, red-white-and-blue top hat and suit points directly at the viewer, his glare and pointing finger almost accusing. "How could you not fight for your country?" he seems to demand.