Women in World Wars Facts & Worksheets

In WWI and WWII, men were the front liners. However, women also took part in both these two great wars.

See the fact file below for more information on Women in World Wars or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Women in World Wars worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

THE WORLD WARS

• World War I began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914. It was the result of the earlier tension involving territorial powers in Europe.
• During the conflict, the Allied powers composed of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the United States fought against the Central powers composed of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire.
• By the end of the war, more than 9 million soldiers and close to 10 million civilians were killed. More than 20 million were left wounded, and many others were missing.
• The death of male soldiers forced women to enter into the workforce to replace men who went to war and those who never came back.
• 21 years later, led by Adolf Hitler, Germany, the country that suffered the most in WWI, started the Second World War.
• His invasion of Poland in 1939 sparked the war in Europe while the Japanese Empire started the war in the Pacific by invading China (1939).
• Japan, Germany, and Italy formed the Axis powers as the belligerent countries and fought against Great Britain, the United States, Russia, and several smaller countries as Allied powers.
• The war ended in 1945, leaving 60 to 80 million casualties, and several million more were left wounded and homeless.

WOMEN IN WORLD WAR I

• Initially, women were prohibited from taking roles in military combat as much as they were not allowed to vote.
• However, severe casualties forced women to fill manufacturing and agricultural positions.
• They were employed in the war labor force as mechanics, ammunition testers, switchboard operators, and stock takers.
• Others tilled the land for food as they were encouraged to grow vegetables in their backyards and limit the consumption of meat, wheat, and fats.
• Those who chose to support the front lines on the battlefield became nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, and translators.
• In Great Britain, women served in uniform in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, while in the US, women served in the US Army Nurse Corps and the Navy Nurse Corps.
• Those sent to the frontline served as ambulance and truck drivers or mechanics. The women doctors, nurses, and aides operated near the frontline to immediately attend to the wounded soldiers.  
• Other girls in France served as telephone operators to improve communications on the Western front between the Allied forces.
• In Russia, the first all-female battalion, the 1st Russian Women’s Battalion of Death, was sent to the Russian western front to participate in the Kerensky Offensive in July 1917.

WOMEN IN WORLD WAR II

• The world was still recovering a generation lost after World War I when WWII broke out. The demand for combatants was greater than ever so women were once again called to serve.
• By 1941, the US government enlisted single women aged 20–30 as auxiliaries for the newly formed Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), Navy Women’s Reserve (WAVES),  the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS), the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS), the Army Nurses Corps, and Navy Nurse Corps.
• Many American women served near the front lines in the Army Nurse Corps despite casualties where 16 were killed from direct enemy fire and 68 were captured as Prisoners of War (POWs) in the Philippines. 
• In Great Britain, women were employed in factories manufacturing munitions, building ships, and airplanes. In the auxiliary services, they were air-raid wardens, fire officers, and evacuation officers, drivers of fire engines, trains and trams, and conductors.
• In the Soviet Union, women were more engaged and were not called “auxiliary” forces. More than 800,000 women served in the Armed Forces, some even engaging in firefights and plane bombing.
• Polish and Jewish Women also joined underground resistance forces in many occupied territories such as Poland.
• In contrast to the Allied countries, Adolf Hitler ridiculed Americans for putting their women to work. He proclaimed that women were to be good wives and mothers and to have more children for the Third Reich.

LEGACY AND IMPACT OF WAR ON WOMEN

• After the war, many women opted to return to their civilian lives to cope with the losses of the men in their families.
• However, due to the rising need for labor, the government launched campaigns to encourage women to enter or stay in the workforce. Many obliged. Job opportunities exclusive to men were made available later on.
• However, their incomes were still considered secondary or extra income as men’s wages remained the central source of a family’s income.
• Marriage bars were also common until the late 1950s whereby married women were barred from certain occupations like teaching and clerical jobs. Marriage meant dismissal.
• Despite being unrecognized for their contribution in the forces, the participation of women in World War II allowed for the founding of permanent women’s forces.
• Today, women in the military can rise in ranks, engage in the frontline, become mentors to younger female soldiers, and employ in military-related jobs.

Women in World Wars Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Women in World Wars across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Women in World Wars who participated in both major wars with significant contributions.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Women in World Wars Facts
• The World at War
• Women at War
• Women Warriors
• Our Local Heroine
• Case Study
• Facing Issues
• Dark Side of War
• Poster Making
• Situational Analysis
• Empowerment

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the roles of women in World War 1?

Initially, women were prohibited from taking roles in military combat. But severe casualties forced women to fill manufacturing and agricultural positions. They were employed in the war labor force as mechanics, ammunition testers, switchboard operators, and stock takers. Others tilled the land for food as they were encouraged to grow vegetables.

How did women’s lives change in World War 1?

Before World War 1, women were primarily in the domestic sphere and their roles in the workforce were very limited. They looked after the home and raised children. Women of lower classes worked for wealthier families as domestic laborers and nannies. In World War 1, most of the male workforce was sent to the frontlines to fight and women were required to step into roles traditionally occupied by men such as in manufacturing and farming. This gave women greater financial independence and autonomy.

How did World War I change women’s involvement in the workforce?

World War I led to a significant shift in women’s involvement in the workforce. With men away at war, women took on jobs traditionally held by men in industries such as manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture.

What impact did women’s contributions have on the war effort?

Women’s contributions were vital to the war effort. They filled critical roles in industries and services, enabling the economy to function and supplying essential resources to the military. Women’s work helped sustain the war effort and provided necessary support to soldiers on the frontlines.

How are women’s contributions during the wars remembered today?

Women’s contributions during the wars are recognized and commemorated through various means, including memorials, museums, and historical accounts. Their roles and achievements have gained greater visibility, highlighting the important role women played in the war efforts and shaping the course of history.

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