Browse Exhibits (15 total)
Harley Davidson throughout WWII
Examining Harley Davidson and its impact during WWII and the impact of WWII on the company.
Propaganda and Advertisements
During the Second World War, propaganda and advertisements were used in order to rally support for the cause.
Created by Amanda Zarder, Matt Kelly, and Molly Peterson
Carroll Students' Attitude Toward WWII
Like the rest of the nation, the opinions of Carroll College students shifted dramatically depending on the year. The people of America, and of Carroll, have split opinions varying from Isolationists and Interventionalists, before the attacks on Pearl Harbor, to patriots and pacifists after Americas declaration of war. The shift in attitude is compelling yet both before and after December 7th, 1941 there would be polarized sentiments about the World's second war.
Called to Serve
Upon the United States entry into the Second World War, huge numbers of people were either enlisting or being drafted into the armed services of the United States all across the country. The state of Wisconsin was no exception, with draftees and volunteers being recruited from the local area of Waukesha and across the whole state. The backgrounds of everyone being recruited were all unique; people from all walks of life were in some way involved in the war effort. Some were simply apart of the military during the time and may have traveled to various regions of the war, some were directly involved with the fighting itself. Their origins were irrelevant; everyone who could fight would fight.
There are a number of noteworthy local examples of the variety of people who served in WWII. Some were educated here at Carroll University, others had no more than a middle school level education. Some lived in local Waukesha, others came from the major Wisconsin cities. All of them served with honor, and this exhibit examines a number of these noteworthy examples.
Wisconsin Women and Their Contributions to the Workforce As Well As Social Life During WWII
The importance of women and the work that they provided during World War II has frequently been overlooked or underappreciated. Since a large number of the male population went overseas and were relocated from their hometowns during World War II, women joined the workforce as well as resumed the critical role of matriarch in order to keep the economy stable. The overwhelming task to maintain a healthy balance between being the sole provider and the head of the family became more and more difficult for women to take on by themselves as the war dragged out. But, as women accepted new roles in the workplace they proved their value as hard workers, challenged ideas that sterotyped work and gender, overcame negative attitudes, and found a personal independence.
Wisconsin Women and Their Contributions to the Workforce As Well As Social Life During World War II examines the various types of work that Wisconsin women did during World War II as well as the new forms of social interactions they formed. From machinery and industrial work to clerical and military work, this exhibit explores the different ways in which working women played a key role in maintaining the homefront in Wisconsin and how they kept themselves busy.
"Anybody Here From Wisconsin?" Robert Doyle as a WWII Field Reporter
An exhibit on the experience of Robert Doyle, a field reporter for the Milwaukee Journal during World War Two. He reported extensively from the Pacific theatre where he travelled with the 32nd US Army Division which mostly consisted of men from Wisconsin. After his experience with the war, Doyle continued to work for the Milwaukee Journal and he was involved with the local veterans association until his death.
Army Air Corps at Carroll College
The United States entered World War II after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, and American officials mobilized institutions across the country to support the war effort. This rapid about face from isolationism to action “severely disrupted the operation of colleges and university in the United States” (Dorn 535). Because so many college-age men volunteered or were drafted, “Administrators at many institutions of higher education negotiated agreements with the armed forces to host a variety of training programs for military recruits” (Dorn 535). These changes reverberated even at Carroll College, a small private institution in southeastern Wisconsin.
From 1942 to 1944 Carroll College hosted hundreds of Army Air Force cadets as they trained for active duty (Langill 190). These new recruits had a profound impact on the lives of civilian students. While some changes were positive, many reports gathered from students found the cadets' presence distracting-sometimes even disruptive. Carroll College exemplifies how deeply the war effort colored everyday life and local culture.
Of course, many historians have written about the American home front during WWII. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans feared more assaults by Axis powers, but also wanted to avenge those who had fallen in Hawaii (Zimm, 2011). While these sources provide context for this exhibit, we musr take this information with a grain of salt, as most of them rely primarily on U.S. government documents and propaganda. This exhibit expands those narratives by focusing on the words and images of everyday people--the students and faculty of Carroll College. Student writings, photographs and other documents show how even life in the "ivory tower" was changed during the Second World War.
The Camps of Wehrmacht POW's in America
World War II began in 1939 when Germany, Japan and Italy, known as the Axis, banned together seeking world domination. The Allies, France, Poland and Great Britain, sought to exterminate the German coalition. In December 1942 the United States joined the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As America supplied soldiers to the Allies problems manifested. The accumulation of captured German soldiers led to the building of detention camps. 700 camps were built in 46 states across America holding 425,000 Axis POWs till the end of the war.
Many elements were implemented into the establishment of the camps. This exhibit provides information on the communities and work, conditions of the camp, and why they are remembered.
Milwaukee Area Women in World War II
This exhibit explores the roles and hardships women endured during the Second Wolrd War. With men being drafted overseas, women came together to fill the empty positions of the workforce and contribute to the war effort. Answering the patrotic call to make 'America Great Again,' women took it upon themselves to provide assistance in any way possible. They were employeed in manufacturing and industrial plants, enlisted as nurses, served in the armed forces, volunteered through the Red Cross, kept families together and broke stereotypes.