charles w. gill/handout/reuters/corbis. 1861-1865 hundreds of women disguise themselves as men to...
TRANSCRIPT
Charles W. Gill/Handout/Reuters/Corbis
1861-1865
Hundreds of women
disguise themselves as
men to fight for the
Union or the
Confederacy during the
Civil War.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
Cou
rtesy o
f th
e T
ruste
es o
f th
e B
osto
n P
ub
lic L
ibra
ry
1901
The U.S. Army
becomes the first
military branch to admit
women when it creates
an all-female Army
Nurse Corps. During
World War I, 21,000
women serve in the
Corps.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
U.S
. N
aval H
isto
rical C
en
ter
1917-1918
During World War I (1914-
1919), female telephone
operators known as “Hello
Girls” serve overseas with
the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
However, they are not
considered members of the
armed forces and are not
awarded veteran status until
1978.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
U.S
. A
rmy S
ignal C
orp
s A
rchiv
es
1943
The temporary Women’s
Army Corps (WAC) is
created during World War II
(1941-1945). More than
150,000 women enlist as
WACs to work in noncombat
jobs. The Navy, Air Force,
Marines, and Coast Guard
also create women’s
divisions.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
Bra
dsh
aw
Cra
nd
ell,
Recru
itin
g P
ub
licit
y B
ure
au
-Un
ited
Sta
tes A
rmy v
ia L
OC
1948
President Harry S.
Truman signs bills that end
racial segregation in the
military and integrate
women into the regular
armed forces. Until 1967,
women cannot make up
more than
2 percent of any one
branch of the military.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
Lib
rary
of
Con
gre
ss
1973
The draft, or required
military service, ends.
Many more women join the
armed forces, and the roles
of servicewomen are
expanded. Three years
later, West Point and other
U.S. service academies
admit women for the first
time.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
An
na C
lop
et/
Corb
is
1988
The Department of
Defense adopts the Risk
Rule. It bars women from
assignments in areas
where they are at risk for
direct combat, enemy
fire, or capture.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
Levin
e H
eid
i/S
IPA
1990–1991
During the Persian Gulf
War, 40,000 women are
deployed—the largest
number of female troops in
U.S. history up to that
point. Women are admitted
into most military units but
continue to be barred from
direct-combat operations.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
U.S
. D
ep
art
men
t of
Defe
nse
1994
The Risk Rule is abolished.
Women are allowed to hold
any position for which they
qualify, except those in
direct-combat units.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
Joh
n S
. S
tew
art
/Gett
y I
mag
es
2001–present
The wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan are the first in
which tens of thousands of
U.S. military women live and
fight alongside men for long
stretches of time. That
reality steps up the debate
about whether women
should continue to be
barred from combat units.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS EDITION 5/6
David
Tu
rnle
y/C
OR
BIS