Women in World War I

The most obvious affect on women in America during World War I, is that many of the men had left for service in the military and women had to take the mens' jobs in the workplace. Women were still expected to be homemakers and raise children but during the war, women were given the opportunity to work outside of their usual roles. It was much more common to see a woman in a munitions factory during the war than before. However, despite these opportunities, women were only paid half of a man's wages and there were still strong sexist feelings. Even with continued struggles, women seemed to thrive, they were much happier playing their part in supporting the war effort and doing manual labor than being stuck inside a house. Women accepted this opportunity with open arms, and their role wasn't solely taking men's places in factories. Some women got to travel overseas to the front. Women were employed as nurses and telephone operators. They provided food and supplies, entertainment, and were journalists. But on the down side, women lost their fathers, brothers, friends, and husbands to the war. Women sorely missed their loved ones.
After the war, the oppoerunities women had gained were lost. The placed they had in the workforce was taken back by men. Women's fight for rights quieted after the war, as most people simply wanted things to return to normal.