Case Study: Women in the Second World War - Assignment Example

WOMEN WHO CAME TO THE FRONT Introduction For a little over five years, the Second World War had the globe in the most wide spread battle in history. During an age of conflict and misunderstanding among nations, most of the American men were recruited in the military and sent overseas to fight. This created a void in the male dominated job industry. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for women. Women marched to work in offices, factories and military bases and earned decent salaries while exercising duties initially reserved for men before the outbreak of the war.

World war two offered women numerous opportunities in journalism. Ambitious and talented women put themselves in the path to cover the biggest stories of their lives. Many female journalists and reporters acquired military certification as war correspondents and were placed in front line military activities. Among many successful women, this paper is going to discuss the wartime experiences of three women, whose work achievement and wartime assignments are featured in ‘Women Come to the Front’ in the Library of Congress.

Therese BonneyBorn in New York, Bonney was a talented photographer and publicist. Her empathy inspired her to report about the displacement of innocent civilians on the outskirts of Europe. She took photos of hundreds of homeless children and adults. The images taken drew attention from millions of viewers across the world at. Bonney believed the war threatened Europe’s civilization. She was very focused and concerned about how the war displaced and created orphans out of innocent children hence creating film concepts for the movie ‘The Search’ (1948).

As a self-made photojournalist, Bonney went several battlefields; her images of civilians on the Russian-Finnish front earned her a medal of bravery from the ‘Order of the White Rose of Finland’. A true heroine and philanthropist, she generously made charity contributions to her alma mater. Bonney’s work is hailed at numerous museums and institutions in America and Europe.Toni FrissellStarting out as a fashion photographer, Frissell later volunteered her photographing skills to the American Red Cross, and the Air Force during the war.

Her images covered nurses at war zones, African American infantry and fighter pilots, Women’s Army Corps while training and orphaned children. She inspired female journalists to migrate from reporting fashion news to real front page subjects like politics and war. Her work publicised female soldiers, and countered the negative perception of the public about women recruited in the army. Frissell’s work also created positive reviews about the fitness and competence of African Americans soldiers.

Clare Boothe LuceFrom a wealthy family came a talented playwright and vocal politician. Clare Boothe Luce later married to Magazine mogul Henry Luce became an important icon in a feminist movement that demanded equal rights for women. After a four month tour in Europe, she wrote her first non-fiction book ‘Europe in the Spring’ and many other war related articles that were published in the Life Magazine. She was later quoted describing the war as "a world where men have decided to die together because they are unable to find a way to live together.

" ConclusionAfter the war was over, pressure was mounted on women to give up their career, duties and jobs. But this did not deter women from their quest. Women became aware of their marginalisation and began questioning the social economic standards that were established before the war. Women later achieved equal rights and opportunities to education and career choices. This awakening was pioneered by the works and experiences of strong and determined women like Therese Bonney, Toni Frissell and Clare Boothe Luce.

Their lives paved the way for other women to succeed.ReferenceWomen Come to Front: Journalist, Photographers and Broadcaster During WWII. Library of Congress