The women of WWII: Rare color photographs of the female workforce who toiled in factories to keep their country going while their men were off fighting the Nazis

American women helped the World War II effort immeasurably, both in uniform and by joining the industrial workforce.

The unprecedented domestic mobilization effort profoundly altered American society as women not only entered the job market en mass, they took up roles that were traditionally reserved for their husbands, brothers and sons.



Alfred T Palmer, a photographer for the US Office of War Information, captured this momentous societal change in a series of captivating and extremely rare color portraits.

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Big help: American women helped the World War II effort immeasurably, both in uniform and by joining the industrial workforce

Life: Color photographs that depict life in the United States during the war Job market: Women not only entered the job market en mass, they took up roles that were traditionally reserved for their husbands, brothers and sons.

Changing society: The unprecedented domestic mobilization effort profoundly altered American society Photographers working for the U.S. government's Farm Security Administration and later the Office of War Information between 1939 and 1944 made approximately 1,600 color photographs that depict life in the United States during the war. RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Next Astronauts' breath-taking views of earth from space showing... We're going to need a bigger cake... 3,500 Moonies marry in... Share this article Share Between 1940 and 1945, the proportion of women in the U.S. workforce increased from 27 per cent to nearly 37 per cent. By the end of the war, nearly one in four married women worked outside the home.

In addition to factory work and other home front jobs, some 350,000 women joined the Armed Services, serving at home and abroad. Captivating: Alfred T Palmer, a photographer for the US Office of War Information, captured this momentous societal change in a series of captivating and extremely rare color portraits

Documenting life: Photographers working for the U.S. government's Farm Security Administration and later the Office of War Information between 1939 and 1944 made approximately 1,600 color photographs

Swell: Between 1940 and 1945, the proportion of women in the U.S. workforce increased from 27 per cent to nearly 37 per cent

Busy: By the end of the war, nearly one in four married women worked outside the home

Women worked in a variety of positions that they would have previously been blocked from. However, the aviation industry saw the greatest increase in female workers. In 1943, more than 310,000 women worked in the U.S. aircraft industry - a massive 65 per cent of the industry's total workforce, compared to just 1 per cent in the pre-war years.

The munitions industry also heavily recruited female workers. Armed services: In addition to factory work and other home front jobs, some 350,000 women joined the Armed Services, serving at home and abroad

New opportunities: Women worked in a variety of positions that they would have previously been blocked from

Aviation: The aviation industry saw the greatest increase in female workers

Big increase: In 1943, more than 310,000 women worked in the U.S. aircraft industry - a massive 65 per cent of the industry's total workforce, compared to just 1 per cent in the pre-war years

Hands on: The government launched a 'Rosie the Riveter' propaganda campaign to get more women into work

Patriotism: The office coordinated the release of war news for domestic use, and, using posters and radio broadcasts, worked to promote patriotism Recruiters: The Office of War Information also warned about foreign spies and attempted to recruit women into war work Rare: The rare images were dug up by the Library of Congress

Official photographer: Alfred T. Palmer was an Office of War Information photographer from 1941 until 1943

VIDEO: Women's roles in factories during World War Two







