'American Women and World War One'

Toon, Wendy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7876-3214 (2017) 'American Women and World War One'. In: Women’s History Network, Midlands Region Annual Conference, 'North American Women and World War One', 4 November 2017, University of Worcester. (Unpublished)

Abstract

The United States entered World War One to make the world “safe for democracy” on April 6 1917. As in other belligerent countries, women would participate in the war effort in unprecedented ways in the twentieth century’s “war to end all wars”. Women’s lives were affected by the conflict whether they contributed to the home front; worried about, or lost, loved ones; carried out “war work” of a host of different types; inspired patriotism and rallied public support or became involved in humanitarian organizations such as the American Red Cross, YMCA, Salvation Army and others or served in the military. In the armed services Yeomen (F) or “Yeomanettes” served with the Navy and the Marine Corps. They learned to march in formation, carried rifles, participated in parades, “liberty bond” drives and served official military functions especially in administrative, secretarial and clerical positions but also as translators, draftswomen, fingerprint experts, ship camouflage designers and recruiting agents. The Army Nurse Corps was attached to the Army overseas and in France, 223 “Hello Girls” served as long-distance switchboard operators for the U.S. Army Signal Corps. 2017 marks the centenary of American entry into WWI and the host of facets of female participation. This paper highlights and reconsiders the role of American women in World War One.

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