RETURN TO "NORMALCY"
Upon their arrival back home, all most soldiers hoped for was a return to "normalcy," however, fathers and husbands had a difficult time reentering their families post-war. Many wives had taken on the traditional male role as the provider and head of the family; when the men returned, traditional family roles were upset and family units disorganized. Children also had a hard time readjusting to their fathers being a part of their lives again. Men felt that their children were not being disciplined or looked after properly in their absence and were often tougher on them because of this. It was especially hard for children to readjust to their fathers active role in their life if the child was young and never met or hardly remember their fathers. Men returning from war - both with families and without - sometimes faced post-traumatic stress and had difficulty re-adapting back to their "normal" lives.
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THE WORK FORCE
Due to the lack of men at home during the war, women began to take jobs that were usually filled by these men. At this time, women felt a strong sense of independence and "Rosie the Riveter" was a powerful feminist icon. When the men returned from war, the stance of the country on women working traditional mens jobs completely flipped. The traditional role of the "domestic housewife" was readopted and their role as independent and capable members of society was quickly pulled out from under them. Because so many jobs were created because of the war, there were a lack of jobs when the war was over and men began to return.
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GOVERNMENT AID |
Before the war was even over, president Roosevelt signed the "Servicemen's Readjustment Act" to help returning soldiers and thank them for their service. This act, also known as "the GI Bill of Rights," gave WWII veterans opportunities for education, help finding jobs, loans for houses, farms, etc to help them get back on their feet, payment to the unemployed, and more.
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