Family+Life

Traditional family structure faced evolution due to the changing roles of each family member in society. At the beginning of the war there was an increase in marriages due to the fear and excitement of enlisted and drafted men. When the excitement wore off and the troubles of the time truly set in, many marriages ended in divorce. This was a change for family structure, as it was very uncommon at the time. The idea of an average american family was altered as more and more “war widows” were left to raise their children alone. This raised concern for the disintegration of family values.
 * Family Structure **

Children Throughout World War II the lives of American children were significantly changed. Due to an influx of available jobs many children dropped out of school to fill these positions. The laws that were put into place in order to protect them in the work place were often ignored. With many fathers serving in war, it was left to the mothers and children to provide for their families. Their incomes were extremely important considering the increased poverty and shortages of food, housing and childcare. Often, the lack of schools and alternate childcare options led children to work, which resulted in a feeling of lost youth. 

[] Women played a major role on the home front, during the battle of World War II. Many mothers left the “women’s” work at home in exchange for factory work to support the troops overseas. Their new jobs included everything from building ships to aircrafts, to general weaponry. They also assisted the war effort through making care packages, planting victory gardens and selling war bonds. Some women went overseas as well, leaving their families behind. Although some people feared the negative effects of working mothers on their children, many women enjoyed their working experiences. Often, the money that women earned was used to supplement war time shortages.
 * Mothers **



[] Family Finances Economic strains added tension to family life during the war. The government implemented rationing plans in order to conserve the materials needed on the front lines. War bonds were an important form of fundraising for the war effort; however poverty had hit some families so hard that they could not afford to contribute. Families were issued coupons to ration food as well as clothing, shoes and gasoline. The size of a family often influenced the amount of each product they could purchase, but many found a way around the system through a black market. The financial strains led to family separations because rations restricted transportation.



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