The 1940s: An Extreme Society

The 1940s were a time of growth and change for the United States, fueled by World War II. European intellectuals fled conflict zones, bringing new ideas along with them that reached fruition in the United States following the war. A fast paced war time economy revived America from a depression, and changed the social structure of the workforce.

The Changing Role of Women

With men off fighting the war, women took on many new roles. Factories needed helping hands to produce the materials needed for fighting, and even though it was a common belief during the depression that women should stay at home, they were hired in the wartime economy. Almost 4 million women were hired for clerical jobs. 2.5 million went to work in factories, shipyards and other different types of manufacturing plants. Most women would return back to their homes after the war, but it left an imprint on the minds of people about just how productive women were.

Even while working, women still played the role of homemaker to some extent. Not all females went to work, some still remained at home with families they had prior to the war starting. Women played major roles in the rationing efforts of the United States. They were responsible for the shopping, and what they purchased affected what the soldiers were supplied with during the war. Sugar, coffee, and meat were highly rationed foods. Due to the fact that beef was heavily restricted with rations, many people began to eat horse meat. Fabrics were also rationed. Many women stopped wearing stockings to save silk which was needed to make parachutes. Instead, they would paint seams onto their legs. Rationing rubber was also very important. The speed limit was set at a slow 35 M.P.H. so that rubber on tires could be conserved. Driving was discouraged when it wasn’t needed because gasoline was vital to the war. Most citizens were allowed no more than 5 gallons a week. Though rationing was a sacrifice, most women were eager to help, viewing the ration as a patriotic duty.

Entertainment and Leisure Activities

The war was ended in 1945, which meant that the entire era of the 1940’s wasn’t spent fighting and rationing. There was still time for leisure and fun. Bowling became quite popular during the 1940’s, both competitively and among families. Dances such as the jitterbug and the hokey pokey were popular among the younger generation.

The film industry was still booming throughout the 1940’s. Television hadn’t become overly popular like it would in the 1950’s, and going to the local cinema was an inexpensive way to relax during your free time. Disney cartoon films were a hit with children in the 1940’s, Bambi and Dumbo being some of the favorites. Watching sports remained a popular pastime, especially baseball. During the 1940’s, baseball earned its nickname of America’s favorite pastime, and rightfully so. Football was more popular among colleges than it was the general population.

Musically, swing and jazz became the dominant genres of the 1940s. Radio stations adored swing artists and you could always find swing music playing. Frank Sinatra was a popular artist during the 1940’s as well, and his relationship with actress Ava Gardner was always a gossip headline. Aside from music, the radio also broadcasted audio shows, along with the news. Commercials and advertising began to sink their way into the radio during this time period. The President of the United States addressed the nation in the first "fireside chats" over the radio, bringing politics into the home.

Fashion

World War II impacted the fashion industry. Paris was the epicenter of fashion, and British and American designers were greatly influenced by them. With Germany controlling France for a good portion of the decade, the fashion industry was somewhat suffocated. Fabrics like silk were not available to designers. Hats became a way to make a fashion statement. You could decorate hats with embellishments like feathers and flowers, as those items weren’t rationed. This also proved to be a trend in the United States and Britain. Pants for women began to replace skirts. The trend of drawing stockings on began in Britain, and with silk being in such short supply everywhere it quickly spread. After the industrial revolution, every American was encouraged to consume, consume, consume to develop the economy. However, this changed during World War II. The government promoted conserving clothing, and middle class Americans once again began to mend clothes instead of buying new. Magazines even made a trend of clothing conservation, by providing information on how to make old clothes more modern. Pinstripes were a popular pattern for suits during the 1940’s. It was not uncommon for a bride to be wearing a suit at her wedding. It was difficult and expensive to obtain the required material for making a wedding dress.

For men the zoot suit became a popular trend, consisting of high waist pants and large, roomy jackets. After the wartime rationing on clothing, it became much more extravagant. Clothing became longer and used more fabric. Brightly colored beach shirts became a prominent fashion item, and men often wore hand painted ties. The 1940’s was the first generation where the youth was responsible for setting fashion trends, and the older generation followed them.

Inventions

The 1940’s were filled with new gizmos and gadgets. The slinky was invented in the 1940’s and quickly became the toy of choice amongst the youth. Technological advances were made in computers, and they were put to use in the war. Mark 1 and Mark 2 were developed at Harvard University, and were nothing at all like we perceive computers. They were over 8 feet in height, and did basic math functions. As useless as that seems in comparison to computers now, it was a major accomplishment. Older inventions like the refrigerator began to become much more popular and common throughout homes.

Literature and Art

Reading, as in previous decades, was a popular pastime. Shirley Jackson was one of the most loved writers of the era, and famous for her thrilling horror stories. The variety of books began to grow, and nonfiction instructional books began to be published, as opposed to the previous mainly fictional market. Almost every American read some sort of magazine, especially news oriented magazines like Newsweek and Time. Abstract art was very popular during the 1940’s. Action abstractionism involved splattering paint on a canvas to achieve a random effect. Color field painters use a different abstract strategy and focused on shapes. The abstract art of the forties paved the way for Pop Art in the 1950s by challenging traditional values and definitions of artwork.