World War II granted unprecedented opportunities for American women to have jobs that had never before been open to women, particularly in the defense industry
350,000 women served in the armed forces during World War II
World War II shifted not only the type of work women did but also the volume at which they did it. Five million women entered the workforce between 1940-1945.
World War II led many women to take jobs in defense plants and factories around the country
These jobs provided unprecedented opportunities to have occupations previously thought of as exclusive to men; for instance in the aircraft industry, where a majority of workers were women by 1943.
Moreover, around 350,000 American women joined the military during World War II. They worked as nurses, drove trucks, repaired airplanes. Besides, They also performed clerical work to free up men for combat.
