How Women Won WWII
Explore the incredibly varied and complex roles women stepped into during World War II. No, they weren’t GIs. They didn’t land at the beach on Normandy on D-Day, or face military combat, but without a doubt, the roles they performed shaped the way the war was both fought and won.
And while our tendency is to connect women’s work during WWII with the image of Rosie the Riveter, women weren’t only tackling manufacturing jobs at home while the men were drafted into the military. Women–both in the U.S. and in Allied Europe–filled key positions that resulted in the Allies winning World War II.
They helped turn the tide of the war through their positions in science and game theory, through espionage and everyday sacrifices. They labored hard and smart and they used every available resource to influence the war effort. Together, we learn their stories and share their secrets.
Episode 12:
A New Era Unfolds
Before we wrap up our series on how Women Won World War II, we need to talk about what happened next. It was the question on everyone’s mind in the summer of 1945. The Axis Powers had been defeated, soldiers were on their way home, and the destruction from the war had devastated countless cities across Europe. In America, citizens wondered, “What happens now?” Read the show notes.
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Episode 11:
With a Flash and a Rumble
For 3 years, scientists in secret cities around the U.S. had been in a race against time to complete the world’s first atomic weapon. And in July of 1945, the very first plutonium bomb was ready. Constructing “The Gadget” as it was called, had taken 2 billion dollars and the collective work of 400,000 people. It was ready to be tested. And it needed to work. Join us to hear more about the infamous Trinity test, and what followed for our women scientists who finally had a clearer picture about the work they had been doing. Read the show notes.
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Episode 10:
Caught by the Enemy
Learn about WWII's most decorated spy: a woman whose spirit and determination in the face of danger is unparalleled. Born in France, Odette Sansom joined Britain's SOE and used her unassuming, motherly demeanor to successfully grow the resistance network throughout the French countryside. But the work was perilous, and the Nazis closed in on Odette and her team. Tune in to learn her survival story. Read the show notes.
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Episode 9:
The Confidante, Anna Rosenberg
Hear from author Christopher Gorham, whose new book, The Confidante, is the first-ever biography written about one of the United State's most powerful women: Anna Rosenberg. Join us as Christopher and Sharon share about Anna's life and contributions to the modern shaping of our American Government. Read the show notes.
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Episode 8:
The Art of Codebreaking
Let's break some secret wartime codes. Shakespeare and Al Capone. What could possibly be a link between these two men who were born centuries apart? A master codebreaker named Elizebeth Smith Friedman. If her name doesn’t sound familiar, there’s a reason for that. Even though she is one of the pioneers of cryptanalysis, very few people knew about her war-changing contributions until after her files were declassified in 2008. Read the show notes.
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Episode 7:
Sabotage and a Jewish Spymaster
Return to the art of espionage in this episode. During World War II, Prime Minister Winston Churchill understood that boots on the ground were only one piece of the puzzle to drive out the enemy. In order to sabotage German operations across Europe, he knew Britain needed to build an army of secret agents. And one of its most successful leaders was a Romanian-born Jewish woman named Vera Atkins. Read the show notes.
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Episode 6:
The Booming Work of Women Scientists
In a previous episode of our series, we had a conversation about the combined efforts of the Allied science community to beat Germany in the race to understand and build atomic weapons. It was a team effort, and you know what? We barely scratched the surface. In this episode, we'll peek into the minds of some of the greatest women scientists during World War II. Read the show notes.
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Episode 5:
British Wrens at War
Head to Great Britain and learn about a military organization that recruited women into the war effort all across the country. Women volunteered in great numbers and, throughout the war, thousands of women participated. You might even call them…a flock. Read the show notes.
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Episode 4:
By the Glow of Radium
In this episode, we talk about how the United States successfully produced and detonated the first atomic bomb. That success happened through a combination of random events and intricately planned schemes that fed into the speeding train that was atomic technology. The U.S. pops up along those tracks, but the spark that would lead to the bomb began across the Atlantic. Read the show notes.
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Episode 3:
A Starlette Spies for France
Let’s talk about a person–a larger than life woman–who utilized her fame and charm to secretly gather intel for the Allies during World War II. She put herself in danger, fought for freedom, saved countless lives… and she did it all while she shimmied her way across Europe in tiny sequined costumes. Read the show notes.
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Episode 2:
The Women of the Secret Cities
Let's talk about The Manhattan Project. The top-secret program ran for three war-filled years and employed over 120 thousand people. Most of those people had no idea that they were working on one of the most powerful projects of all time: creating nuclear weapons. Read the show notes.
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Episode 1:
Rosie the Riveter Was Just the Beginning
Let's explore the incredibly varied and complex roles women stepped into during World War II. No, they weren’t GIs. They didn’t land at the beach on Normandy on D-Day, or face military combat, but without a doubt, the roles they performed shaped the way the war was both fought and won. Read the show notes.
Listen on your favorite podcast platform:
