Customer Reviews

Our Mothers' War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A great read!

This book is full of surprising, well-told stories of heroic, courageous, and fascinating women. Not just another history of the "supporting roles" of women during the war. This book goes far beyond the stock portrayals of WWII women to take you into their private thoughts and fears. There are pilots, war photographers, disc jockeys, spies, soldiers, members of congress -- so many women who stepped up and took part in the war, often in spite of great opposition. (And it doesn't shy away from telling about a few women who were not so noble during the war either.)

I had never seen the women of WWII placed in this light -- as equal partners in fighting and winning. This book will make you want to know more about your own mother, your aunts, and your grandmothers. (Hopefully you still have a chance to discuss this book with them!) It should be read by every son, daughter, grandson and granddaughter of the Greatest Generation.

This is a unique compilation of astonishing research and
personal history that takes the crust off our mothers' wartime persona. Even the high profile women of WWII ? Dietrich, Lombard,
Davis, et al ? are illuminated in thoroughly surprising ways. I read slowly and savored each page, and by the end I knew my mother and grandmothers and the human spirit, better. Kudos to Emily Yellin.

The voice of women veterans is one too seldom heard. Now, with WWII veterans dying at a rate of over 1,000 per day, those voices will all too soon become silent. WWII was the first time women joined the military, and they encountered prejudice and hardships every step of the way. The women and nurses who served in the military witnessed horrors that many of the men encountered, but with much less preparation and little resource for healing after the war. All but forgotten for the roles they performed, this book brings to light their stories by both the women themselves, as well as the author's research and study. Much of the information is rarely found in available books, and "Our Mothers War" is an excellent resource for that information- particularly on the lesser known women's roles on the homefront, in espionage, and those who were taken as prisoners of war. Women volunteered to help the war effort in every possible way. The accounts tell stories of war as well as stories of the lighter side of day-to-day living that was the human side of life during WWII.

An excellent overall account of women in the 1940's, and one that will likely encourage the reader to delve deeper into our nation's history of female veterans, women's roles and the women's movement.

This isn't meant to be some exhaustive encyclopedia, but it's nevertheless a very solid thorough detailed account of what the women of the WWII generation went through, in many facets and fields. Besides just writing about the women in the military, in the factories, on the general homefront, and in the Japanese-American internment camps, there is also interesting insightful information on areas little covered, such as the women who worked at or who had husbands working at Los Alamos, prostitutes, women in right-wing pro-Fascist groups agitating against the American government, and spies. It's stunning to read about all the women of my grandmothers' generation had to struggle against to be accepted into the military, in factories, as professionals, in any capacity in fact besides that of wife, mother, sister, and girlfriend. Particularly horrifying was the section on the Victory Girls; the sexual double standard sent women (many of them proven innocent) suspected of passing VD to soldiers to jail, while giving these soldiers no punishment for cavorting with prostitutes and giving them the best care instead of forcing them to languish in dank unhygienic jail cells without medical attention. Blame the women and treat the men as innocent victims. Also shocking in modern times is how women believed to be lesbians in the military were treated, like they had a mental disorder and were deranged unnatural deviants, as well as how many women who had loyally punctually worked in the factories were handed their discharge slips on the day the boys came home. Still, even restrained by the double standard and beliefs of the era, these women had tasted freedom and greater possibilities, and thanks to everything they did, their knowledge of greater possibilities, they raised daughters who would help to bring about the womens' liberation movement in the next generation, knowing they could never go back to the limited world and possibilities that had existed prior to WWII.

This book was a response to the popular Our Father's War, and I think it does a good job capturing the woman's perspective during the war. It is filled with popular history sources and first hand accounts which really gives the reader a clear understanding and a vivid picture of what a woman's life was like during the war. The book isn't too heavy on traditional historical evidence or prose but that is one of the reasons why it reads so fast. It's a great book to set the tone and instill ideas to be further researched by those interested in more detail. Overall, I highly recommend the book to anyone. It was very entertaining.

I purchased this book for my in-laws who lived through WW II. My father-in-law served in the Army in India as a medic, while my mother-in-law waited at home. They have read numerous books about the war, but until now had not seen a book about life on the home front or about the role of women in the war. They are really enjoying the book. Give your WW II relatives a taste of nostalgia; send them this book.

Is you are looking for a straight-forward, well-researched history of American
women during World War II, this book will give you that and so much more. On
nearly every page you will find many surprising, little-known facts about the war.
The real strength of this book, however, is the personal accounts from women in
a wide range of American life at home and in the theater of war; from everyday
working women's lives to the lives of women in the highest seats of power. The
voices of real women leap off the page and you are brought into their innermost
experiences, fears and hopes. Some of the stories are heroic, some about the daily
frustrations of maintaining a family during war, many recount the sacrifices
small and large that women made with very little recognition or support. The book
also discusses the opportunities that became available to women during WWII
later led to permanent changes in American society ... breaking down economic
and racial barriers that had been entrenched for centuries. Despite giving you
a thorough sweep of history, the writing style is engaging and enjoyable.
This is a moving, warm and inspiring book ... highly recommended!

Excellent book for anyone interested in the history of this country during World War II, especially womens history during this time period. This book is about the events that were occurring back home in the USA while our men were overseas fighting in the war. The roles women were playing to support our fighting troops was the true beginning of the womens liberation movement. I would highly recommend this book.

An excellent history of WWII and women's roles in the United States - all phases of society.

What a wonderful, informative book. As a retired AF nurse, I found this book just fascinating. These women picked up all jobs once the men left for war. I had first borrowed this book from the library & liked it so much, I had to own it for my library. A wonderful read!