Humanities and Social Sciences

History Program

Hidden Lives: 'Women in World War II'

(The following text has been adapted from a talk Dr Katie Holmes delivered to the History Teachers Association of Victoria, 20 November 1998.)

The traditional focus on women in WWII has been on women in the workforce, with a focus on women's entry into male areas of work and into the auxiliary services.

Today I want to frame my discussion about women in WWII in terms of women's patriotism, and the calls on women's patriotism. I want to look at three areas:

1. Paid Work
2. Romance
3. Motherhood

I want to suggest that all these areas were surrounded by conflict for women, and differing expectations upon them.

1. Paid Work

Japan's entry into the war led government to directly target women to fill the gap left by men, and to work in the auxiliary services.

Women's patriotism was called upon. In the process, the work women had traditionally done in the home was seen as unnecessary, and certainly not as important as 'real work'. Women were encouraged to work for men.

For those women working in jobs classified as men's, they received 90% of the male wage. Other work, which may have been classified as essential and which women therefore couldn't leave, such as textiles and clothing, continued to be classified as women's work and therefore was paid at 65% of male wage. So not all women were working in men's jobs, not all in auxiliary services. Thus the assumption that all women working during the war were doing 'men's work', needs correcting.

During the war, women work was seen as doing great things for women. Clarice MacNamara writing in the Labour Digest, put it this way:

Kingsley's refrain that 'men must work and women must weep' no longer holds true. Women now, and of the post-war world, will weep all right; they will weep for menfolk killed on the battlefield or maimed, and many will weep for the experience of love, marriage and motherhood the war has denied them. But above all they must work.

Never before have women experienced such opportunities for showing what they can do; and in the post-war world they will be needed more than ever to fill jobs for which, during these war years, they have served a meteor apprenticeship. (Labour Digest, April 1945)

The range of areas within which women were employed during the war were diverse, and the documents in the booklet attempt to give some indication of this: factory work, clothing & textiles, land army, munitions work, other auxiliary services.

When women did enter male areas of employment, there was great concern about their suitability and particularly whether they would retain their femininity. As one advertisement for lipstick noted: 'When doing our job on munitions we don't neglect our appearance-but still keep our feminine charm by always having our Escapade lipstick with us.' The particular concern about women in uniform seems to have been about women not only losing their femininity, but demonstrating lesbian tendencies, and making men obsolete.

The focus on women retaining their femininity was such, historian Marilyn Lake argues, that rather than being offered the adventure of economic independence, women were offered the adventure of sexual romance.

2. Romance

Women's relationships with American soldiers, and their attraction to them, is well known. But women received very mixed messages about such attractions and relationships. The song played when Americans first arrived: 'Can't say no to a soldier', and in it women were being told it was their patriotic duty to date Americans. The indications are that some pursued relationships with American with relish. The recollections of Lola Taylor, used in the book, are illustrative of this.

They had no reserve about approaching girls in any way. They were just friendly and this was just completely new to us because we had always been brought up believing that people had to be introduced to you...You know after Australian men, American men were so clean. They smelt beautiful.. They had beautiful teeth.. Their clothes were starched and smelt so lovely. They used aftershave lotion, which was something we had never heard of before.
(Hidden Lives: Stories of Everyday Australia, p.70.)

One of the striking things about another document used in the booklet, a diary entry of a young 19 year old, was her own sense of the historical significance of what was happening, and the sense of play involved.

I expressed a desire to silly Jack P for a Yank boyfriend (Melb. & fact all Aust. is swarming with them - since Xmas - & I felt I'd missed life, not having even met one. Elsie & I spoke to some one night in the dark of Swanston St. but didn't pick them up as most girls do now) & he is one who takes up any remark or action, jokingly threatened to do so all afternoon, till he finally did bring into our party a lonely one he found. I was furious for a time, but calmed down & the four of us - Stanley Dyjak his name-ugly, big, quiet, studious & apparently sincere-from New Jersey - went to tea in town - then joined the Sunday night lovers throng who make Melb. a queer old wild place now. We sat & watched the Yarra from the Alexandra Gardens & following Jack's example Stan got romantic & kissed me once (I objected on principle, of course). Gosh, two bench episodes in a week end - when the only other time I gave in as far as that to Doug - usually I walked slowly & steadfastly almost all the time! Stan came home with me, took my address & promised to ring that week. There, I had 2 possibilities. Would they eventuate? ...

Thurs. arrived- Dorothy working busily in Study about 1/4 past 8 was informed of a visitor outside - 'Twas Stan at the ungodly hour wanting me to go out. I felt reckless... We went to Capitol, got in in time to see the last picture Dive Bomber, had supper & managed to get back just after 1/2 past 11. Promised to go out with him somewhere on Sunday. That was a success! Next evening... [I] heard yells of telephone! from below - thinking - Stan! I rushed down, to be met outside S.C. Office by Jack, who startled me, by asking would I come, there and then to pictures at the Union Theatre - University! What could I do- I said yes, rushed upstairs.. . lost my nerve - sat down - got up, went in to Isabel Guppy next door, told the tale - asked her to pretend another call came (silly of me) & when she did so, bolted down leaving a bewildered Crossie & girls. Was ready & away without leave, without scruples in 5 mins. Did not enjoy the programme, but the company - yes! we strolled again in Uni. grounds, sat again, & this time Jack finally kissed me - then apparently remembered he should not have - and we rose & went home. He weakened again at the last moment & we laughed over my playful rebuke. But I did enjoy it! More than Doug's technique, - more experience I suppose....

Anyway I can tell my Grandchildren at least that during those momentous days when Aust. was rapidly accumulating thousands upon thousands of Yanks, when Melb. went bad, & every girl discussed her "pick-ups" I too had a little experience.

The Yanks are rather nice though, as a whole, either very talkative & extremely quaint humoured - frank - or quiet uncommunicative slow chaps. We were surprised at how slow so many are - lazy of speech & movements & rather well fed looking - & the variety of unifoim & race! One thing I have noticed the high standard of Education & the great interest in such matters -you'd never get an Aussie to discuss school etc. (Diary entry, 19 year old Teacher's College student, 1942.)

Women's interest in Americans was soon seen to be a cause for alarm. You can see this shift in the song ''Don't forget to say 'No' Baby".

(Chorus:)
Don't forget to say 'No' baby
While I'm with your Uncle Sam;
I'll be missing you so, baby,
That's the kind of guy I am;
Other boys may find your number,
And if they take you to tea,
Don't be trillin, while I'm drillin;
Remember you belong to me.
('Don't Forget to Say 'No' Baby', 1942)

(Left:) 'Happy is the wooing that's not long a'doing', 1939; (right:) 'How to plan a wartime wedding', 1940.

Women were perceived to be 'out of control' and young women in particular were very soon being held responsible for the spread of VD. National security regulations were introduced in an attempt to curb women's sexual activity. And soldiers were warned about the dangers of sex with 'Amateurs'. Amateurs were young women, not classed as 'bad' but sexually ignorant and actively seeking sexual adventure.

The emphasis on romance did not just come in relation to Americans, but there was lots of stuff about wartime weddings, and the glamour of the Serviceman.

It's important to understand the sense people had of needing to live for the moment: we see this not only in relation to the Americans, but in relationships in general, and marriage in particular. Marriage rates increased dramatically. 10,000 of these were to Americans.

So romance was another area where women's patriotism was targeted. First they were to be patriotic by dating Americans, then they were to be patriotic by not dating Americans, and only going with Australians. And of course, patriotism was not meant to be expressed by their willingness to have sexual relations: that was a demonstration not only of their own ignorance, foolhardiness and lack of breeding and judgement, but of their lack of patriotism as well, for they were seen as a direct threat to the health of the Army.

3. Motherhood and Domesticity

Comparatively little attention has been given to women's position as mothers and wives during WWII. Whereas once motherhood was adequate reason not to be engaged in paid work, the need for labour changed that, and women were expected to arrange for child care so as to be able to engage in war work.

But women were also meant to be producing children: this was another patriotic duty. The tension here is captured well by this cartoon from the Bulletin (note the depiction of women in it):

But many women found the demands of raising children, managing on rations, and being the sole parent in the absence of their husbands, very difficult.

Someone is writing a letter tonight,
A message to on eshe holds dear;
She tries to smile, but try as she might,
Each page is caressed with a tear.

(Refrain:)
When evening shadows begin to fall
I miss your footsteps in the hall.
Each heartache and tear will soon disappear,
When you come home again.
The pair of slippers you used to wear,
You'll find them by your favourite chair;
The books you loved best, contentment and rest,
When you come home again.
Every night I sit alone by the radio
Waiting for the news that says
'It's all over' and so we'll soon say 'Hello'.
Two little angels asleep upstairs,
Both think of you when they say their pray'rs,
They miss you like me,
Happy we'll be
When you come home again.
When you come home again.

(Second verse:)
Patiently waiting with hope in her heart,
She prays thro' the long weary nights;
Brave little woman, she's playing her part,
She'll keep smiling thro' as she writes.

The other point I'd like to highlight is that of women's maternal sacrifice. The letter in the book from Mrs Sands, is designed to raise this issue. The full text of the letter is included in the booklet (Hidden Lives: Stories of Everyday Austrlia, p.66): it was written to her son in Oct 1945, three and a half years after his boat had been torpedoed. A letter to her from the Navy in Jan 1946 concludes that he would have been killed instantly. This final news was received nearly four years after his death. The incitement to patriotism through the sacrifice of sons, must have seemed very hollow to Mrs Sands.

(Caption Reads:) "It all depends what we consider is our duty to the nation"

Conclusion

So many of our images of WWII seem to be of young men and women, especially on the homefront, and rarely do we see the impact war had on older generations reflected.

We can think about this in another way was well, and that is in terms of the ongoing impact of war on those who survived it: on the men who returned, on the women who nursed them through unexplained illnesses and breakdowns, the children who watched their parents try to find more in common than their wartime romance. It is inadequate to try and assess the impact of the war in terms of a short time frame, rather, we need to see the ongoing nature of the changes war brought to people's lives. Often both the experiences of war itself, and the aftermath, will be contradictory.