Hidden in History: The Untold Stories of Women During World War I and World War II

Book excerpt: In 2013, the U.S. Secretary of Defense officially lifted the ban on women in the military serving in combat. But a century before, women were involved with the military in ways you might not realize. In both World War I and World War II, women across the globe were invaluable to their home countries, regardless of which side they fought on. For much of the 20th century, it was common for most women to be housewives. But with most men off fighting on the front, it was up to the women to keep their countries running. Many women supported the war effort in traditional ways, like planting victory gardens and buying war bonds, but they also held titles like spy, war correspondent, code breaker, and pilot. A few women even disguised themselves as men to join them in battle. With “Hidden in History: The Untold Stories of Women During World War I and World War II,” the often-forgotten role of women from across the globe who served on the front lines and on the home front is remembered and honored. Brave women crossed battle lines and served their nation as real-life Rosie the Riveters, changing the role of women in society forever. From Ida Mullerthal, the World War I spy with classified information tattooed on her back to Mary Amanda Sabourin, one of the first female U.S. Marines, read the untold stories of what the American War Department called “the vast reserve of woman power.”