Role Of Women Following WWII: What Polls Can Tell Us

Fiona Walsh
Dr. Campbell
HIS 467
March 30, 2023
Role of Women Following WWII: What Polls Can Tell Us The effects of WWII brought about many drastic changes in American society, one of which being the role of women. As more and more men enlisted in the war, women began to play a larger role than ever as they filled jobs and stepped further out of the domestic sphere than ever before. Between 1940 and 1945, the female percentage of the workforce increased from 27% to nearly 37%, an unprecedented amount in American history.As the war came to an end, and men began to return, the role of women in the workforce was at a crossroads: Will, and should, this increased participation of women in the workforce continue? Or will society return back to pre-war

The language utilized in this poll is interesting– it is not just asking their opinions as to whether it is socially acceptable for these women to work, but whether or not they should be allowed to in general. In order to understand the reasoning behind these responses, pollers asked follow up questions to those who responded a certain way. Interestingly, of those who said that they should not be allowed, 47% cited taking jobs from others as the main reason. The second largest response was 23% who said that women should spend their time at home, and 11% who claimed that women should not be allowed to work in general. The first two reasons can be viewed through the lens of the time period and give insight as to what was occurring in history. The end of the war brought a sense of uncertainty, as Americans wondered what policies the nation would implement next, and whether or not they would return to the depression that followed WWI. This first reason listed could reflect some of the economic concerns at the time. If women who did not need to work began entering the workforce, many may have feared that the amount of jobs traditionally available would decrease. As men who had been overseas returned, it was expected that women who may have entered the workforce would take a step back and return to a more domestic sphere– and this poll shows that not only was this expected, but many believed that it should be mandatory. Additionally, as indicated by the second and third most popular responses, the belief that women should remain in the home still held somewhat strong, and that despite wartime efforts and campaigns like Rosie the Riveter, many traditional beliefs held