Cisgender women were not permitted to join the armed forces until the Women's Armed Service Integration Act passed in 1984. During the Civil War, some people assigned female at birth enlisted as men. They used "male" names and wore short haircuts, pants, and other traditional "male clothing." Many stories of these soldiers have…

The 1920s was an ambivalent decade in Australia: on the one hand Australians were still reeling from the disastrous effects of the Great War and on the other they were witnessing unprecedented and exciting technological and social changes brought about by modernity. One of the most important modern technologies was the cinema, which Australians…

Reports on an interview with General Wilma L. Vaught, president of the Board of Directors of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation. Discusses a memorial to women in military service to be built in Arlington Cemetery near Washington, DC. (CFR)

Contends that recent historical research has found strong and growing evidence of the presence of women on Civil War battlefields in numbers far beyond what previously had been believed. Discusses women who fought in disguise, those who served as nurses, and women who were given the title "daughters of the regiment." (CFR)

Describes the role of women in the Chinese military during four eras: (1) the ancient period; (2) the post Opium War period; (3) 1949-present; and (4) today's women in the Chinese military. Includes a full-page chart indicating women warriors in ancient China. (CFR)

Contends that, although Joan of Arc is treated as an aberration by history textbooks, this view ignores a medieval military tradition that provided a context for the acceptance of Joan's leadership. Presents a five-part lesson that deals with different aspects of medieval women's' military traditions. (CFR)

Contends that, although the role of women in the U.S. military and on the homefront during World War II has received increased attention, the service of the civilian women pilots has not been adequately recognized. Presents a classroom lesson on the origins and work of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP's) during World War II. (CFR)

Contends that, although women participated as a group and as individuals in every war, they rarely are acknowledged in history books or commemorated with monuments. Describes nine roles that women played during the American War for Independence and the Civil War. (CFR)

Presents an annotated bibliography on women and war. Includes teaching materials, videotapes, and books containing firsthand accounts as well as histories of women's wartime experiences. Provides addresses for smaller, lesser-known publishers and suggests a grade level for each resource. (CFR)

Describes government efforts to mobilize U.S. women during World War II. Discusses the need for women's participation and the problems confronted by women who joined the wartime labor force. Describes efforts to increase participation by women in the armed forces. (CFR)

Contends that women experienced World War I differently from any other war. Asserts that, although thorough physical examinations prevented women from fighting while disguised as men, women played significant roles as nurses and on the home front. Relates accounts of women who participated as volunteers, clerical workers, and journalists. (CFR)

Contends that women leaders, especially women who were warriors, have been ignored by history textbooks. Describes historical research on the roles of women in military history. Presents the story of three women who became significant military leaders during the medieval period. (CFR)

Describes the origins and work of the Women's Land Army, a World War I British volunteer agricultural production unit. Details similar program in the United States. Identifies the impact of the Women's Land Army including enhanced political, economic, and physical freedom for the participants and future generations of women. (CFR)

Describes a National History Day project based on students' grandmothers' experiences with prisoner of war communications during World War II. Relates how brief communications from prisoners were relayed to soldiers families through U.S. War Department channels. Discusses development of historical research and interpretation skills. (CFR)

Asserts that World War I, unlike previous wars, was not fought by small groups of professional soldiers, but with large groups of citizens, including women. Presents a lesson plan using poster and postcards that examines methods used by the U.S. government to rally women to join the war effort. (CFR)