Trying to hold the homefront together while there was a war waging abroad was not an easy task for women during World War I and II. Women were not only asked to complete thedaily chores that were normally expected of them, but they were asked to go to work. Suddenlytheir very private lives were turned into a very public and patriotic cause.Traditionally the woman’s place was thought to be in the home. She was responsible forcooking, cleaning, taking care of the children, and looking her best. So when war broke out itwas clear that America would not be able to win either of the World War’s without the help oftheir women, the “traditional” housewife and mother turned into wartime worker. This is thesame for Germany. The men realized it would not be possible for them to continue their wartimeefforts without the help and support of the Nazi women.World War I was a turning point in American history for women. Women had to putaside their feminist movement and class issues because their national identity was seen as moreimportant then their own more private issues. They were going to participate and do their bestwhether or not they received recognition, and even though they put their movements aside theystill stayed organized in their women’s groups and networks.The Nazi women are very much like the American women in some respects. At thebeginning, before the war and before Hitler took power, they felt as if Liberalism was not doinganything for them and it wasn’t working to anyone’s advantage. “Like their male counterparts,Nazi women expressed contempt for democracy, liberalism, individualism, and decadence.” (Koonz 97) The women were working long, hard hours in factories with very low wages, andthey felt economically exploited. When Nazism was introduced they supported it because theyfelt it was a better alternative and the women felt a sense of unity not only with themselves...
