. terminology matters in this context. as itavery, as abhorrent is, seems easier for most people to my digest when thinking of the past. the seem to excuse institution, or prefer to forget it. human trafficking >> you can watch the entire lecture on american history tv on c-span3. during world war ii, millions of american women contributed to the war effort by working on the homefront. next on american history tv's

"reel america," from 1944, "the hidden army," a 17-minute war department film documenting the vital role of women and the workforce and encouraging more to contribute to the effort. ♪

>> open up, sergeant. ♪ >> we had considered all the

possibilities. discussed the we potential,ctual and of our probable enemies. .rance confused and helpless in the hands of fascist leaders. england -- weak, frightened, symbol of appeasement. no army,ed states -- navy or air force. gavepert in that country us a factory reports. i think it is a mistake to understate america. >> all i know is that the united states is the industrial phenomenon of the world. >> i will speak to my figures.

to win wars you need manpower. >> this number is limited, but the number of men necessary for the production of the materials with which to fight. the ratio of workers to soldiers is thick. the you ever considered possibility of a women labor? >> american women? [laughter] >> come. let me quote you some statistics about the women of america. 1938, they spent more for cosmetics than the united states navy did for ships. more for silk stockings than the united states air force spent for planes. cocktail drinks, pleasure lovers, loafers, spoiled by their sentimental american men.

a different from the women of germany, who trained like todiers, who bred babies fight this war. and all this without lipstick. bah!can women, i was to make many mistakes before my downfall, but not however spectacular, were more grave than my contempt that they -- that day for american women. i invaded poland. my war was begun. states,e, the united there was a restless stirring, and factories appeared overnight. how was it possible for america to achieve such production, and

at the same time build an army? inn the amusing reports came from the united states -- the amazing reports came in from the united states. the answer was that 20% of the manpower was woman-power. legions were advancing to stop my advance. it was the first time i had heard of the hidden army. >> it may have been the first but iteir hitler, wouldn't be the last time. tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow.

pro are working and we were in the war 100%. the axis believe they were ready this army, forecast this air force, this navy. but the production estimates, the axis was wrong. the forecast had missed a validity potential strength of the hidden army. the women of american industry. across the atlantic to berlin, across the pacific to tokyo, when news of the a and the american life, millions of women who had never lifted a finger outside of their own homes now suddenly result to set the world house in order. these were the uniforms of the hidden army. these, their weapons. and these the results they hope to achieve. prettyve called for some fancy explaining by statistical expert. these women are the

unemployed come up with the seekers. play girls with new toys. it will pass. but it did not pass, not yet. invasion came to north africa. walking side-by-side with men, women health weld the landing craft. women helped deliver planes that range health of the days and nights. reigned hell throught he days and nights. and by doing all this, they earned the respect of the men behind site and. beside them. had the american woman won her industrial spurs.

the brave nurses risking their very lives on the battlefront. the army had 1943, grown to be nearly 30% of war production labor, but by that time all over the globe, american arms had passed from defense to offense. this meant greatly increased demands for material, and greatly increased demand for men. casualties had to be replaced. invasion forces had to be built. and as our armed forces grew, so increment,emands for supplies, food, material of all kinds. the need for women grew desperate. and thousands of women answer the call. but then, a strange thing happened. army,nth, the hidden suddenly stopped growing. the following month was even more disturbing.

the papers reported a slight falling off in production. tired in the morning to face the assembly line or the workbench. dispense --he defense work interfered with their shopping. a few members of the hidden army, it seemed, had earned enough for the furcal they coveted and return to their pre-war existence. the compulsion to work was dissipated. others flipped for sound reasons.

transportation was a problem. it was distressingly difficult to be a housekeeper and a patriot. the kids needed looking after the house refused to help itself when eight hours a day were spent at the plant. but by far the most common reason for that women were not accustomed to the long hours of hard work. shortages appeared. american planes found themselves lacking bearing assemblies. delicate parts or electronic equipment were low. and american wounded became american dead. sudden, -- the government regrets to inform -- oh! >> what's the matter?

cross every american driven into the foreign earth, a gold star on an american homes. our women learned in bitter tears and heartache that in war, there can be no such thing as a slight falling off in production, as there is no such thing as a slight death. by early 1944, they were falling behind. need for young men was imperative. these young men had come largely from the deferred, fathers, though doing in central industrial work. reclassification was called for. storiesa time when drifted in from the mountains, the jungles, the watery graves. women the country over begin to recognize war for what it was, a grim, unromantic battle to the

death. in which every man, woman and child at a stake. is to beerican home preserved, if the jetties of other families are not to be duplicated here, the axis must be brought to its knees. begin army drew fresh recruits. its ranks grew to nearly 18 million. many of these william -- many of these will -- whenever asked why they joined the wrecks of hidden army, these women gave a perennial of reasons. reasons.ety of >> i have a daughter on the way and a son on the arizona. >> i'm an old maid and i did not have anyone until i took this defense job. now i have a family to look after. i have been on cases of these every week. help them to get home soon.

i go to college, but i arrange my classes so i could help out in the war effort. this way i will get my diploma and war bonds. heavy, so i joined up as defense work. the foreman told me i was worth my weight in gold. >> my husband is a prisoner of the japs in the philippines. and we had more the shows, maybe he would still be fighting. whenever i get tired, i think about him out of that death march. >> the special needs of women workers were vitally recognized. for others, child care nurseries. for housekeepers, stores and markets were persuaded to stay open evenings. hairdressers, dances, movies, sports, or more and more made available at the unaccustomed hours needed by the nra.

much of the routine of contemporary living was made easier for the woman worker than her stay-at-home sister. it was concentrated under the one roof. there is no longer the necessity to trace all over town. they're all within a few yards of the assembly line. more and more the special needs of women workers were realized and met. ladys, there was another we can enlist for entering war work. why did i take a defense job? i never thought of that before. you have to have a reason? we are in a jam, aren't we? i'm sorry but you have to excuse me, i'm too busy to answer a question like that. >> somehow, the answer pleases us. no sudden emotional urgency of

this woman into war work. no loss of a loved one. no economic embarrassment. no yearning for excitement or novelty it democracy -- novelty. democracy is in a jam. 18 million women are not enough, and is more men are called for military service, their places must be taken by women here we are forced to face penalties at the front, but never again as during 1943 can one woman quit for every two who are hired. there is no time to be spent on the constant training of new requirements. without the help of additional thousands of women, we cannot build the mountains of material consumed in global invasion. he cannot make good the millions of man-hours and woman hours that are lost in a pleading second smoke and flame. camps existse nazi anywhere in the world, this is also a woman's war.

maye waged so that no woman ever again clutch a start baby to her breast. so that no woman anywhere so ever be the slave of a fascist state that makes her no more than a brood mare. that is why the women of america, like the men at their side, must flock, and stick to their jobs until that day when an end comes to the devastation of the earth. when man, again, may safely go down to the sea in ships. peace has come once more to all lands, and who saysy to the land the finest warrior, the greatest ofan although all -- woman them all. ♪ this year, c-span isri