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Concept
Women in the World Wars
Summary
During both world wars, women were required to undertake new roles by their respective national war efforts. Women across the world experienced severe setbacks as well as considerable societal progress during this timeframe. The two World Wars hinged as much on industrial production as they did on battlefield clashes. With millions of men away fighting and with the inevitable casualties, there was a severe shortage of labour in a range of industries, from rural and farm work to urban office jobs. While some women managed to enter the traditionally male career paths, women, for the most part, were expected to be primarily involved in "duties at home" and "women's work," especially after the wars were over. On the other hand, the two wars also victimized women and subjected them to numerous incidences of sexual violence, abuse, and death.
During World War I, women in the Western World, including Europe, Canada, and the United States, contributed to the war efforts on both the home fronts and the battlefields. Women’s employment rates skyrocket in domestic and industrial sectors. Nursing became one of the most popular professions in military employment during these years. In Asia, women’s labor in the cotton and silk industries became essential for the economy. Before 1914, only a few countries, including New Zealand, Australia, and several Scandinavian nations, had given women the right to vote (see Women's suffrage), but otherwise, women were minimally involved in the political process. Women’s participation in WWI fostered the support and development of the suffrage movement, including in the United States.
During the Second World War, women’s contributions to industrial labor in factories which were located on the home fronts kept society and the military running while the world was in chaos. Women in the Western World also gained more opportunities to serve directly in their country's armed forces, which they had limited opportunity to in WWI.
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