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1. 
   jilllessa Teacher
   High School - 10th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   World War II gave a tremendous boost to the United States Economy.  As the U.S. began to make weapons, uniforms, and other supplies for the War, the jobs it created revitalized the economy and raised wages throughout our society.  Prior to the War, The United States had still been suffering from the effects of the Great Depression of the 1930's and it is uncertain how long the depression would have continued without the stimulus provided by the war.  The wage increases and improvement in the quality of life brought about an overall economic optimism that continued until recent times. The Gross domestic product of the United States rose dramatically over the years of the war.  As the war came to a close, many Americans feared another depression as production of weapons slacked off, but American industry shifted to producing civilian products that had been limited during the war years and the increased salaries of most Americans allowed them to buy these products as they had never been able to before.

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   http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/tassava.WWII

   http://www.enotes.com/1940-business-economy-american-deca...

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   Posted by jilllessa on Saturday February 21, 2009 at 7:08 AM
   
   

2. 
   dbello Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   Beginning in 1942 the U.S. economy shifted from the principles of a 'market economy' in which the consumer answers the economic questions of what to produce, how to produce, and who will recieve the products to that of a 'command economy' where by the government has the primary authority in answering those same questions. To some degree this shift was a double edged sword for the American economy during WWII. On the one hand Americans went back to work and recieved a paycheck. On the other hand consumer goods were scarce due to the production of war materials. Although there was a degree of economic optimisim, the American economy experienced heightened inflation. 'Too much money and too little goods to buy'. To reel in the inflationary monster the government began a series of price control regulation which eventually helped stabilize the economy for the duration of the war.

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   Posted by dbello on Saturday February 21, 2009 at 3:42 PM