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The Women Who Served In America's Fields

Herbert Hoover realized early in the 20th century that food was as important as bullets to win a war. After witnessing Belgians starve under the harsh treatment of Germany before World War I, he determined to never let that happen in America. So, when the men marched off to war in both World War I and again in World War II, the women marched out to the fields. 

Everyone knows Rosie the Riveter, the iconic symbol of the American women who produced munitions and war supplies in factories during World War II. Few people know that the Woman's Land Army of America is the rural equivalent of Rosie, producing enough food to feed the troops and project an image of abundance and strength abroad. 

Today, you meet two women who worked on Connecticut farms for the Woman's Land Army as young teenagers during World War II. 

GUESTS:

  • Walter Woodward - Associate professor of history at UConn and the Connecticut State Historian
  • Alice Corcoran - Former participant in the Connecticut Women’s Land Army during World War II
  • Elaine Lowengard - Former participant in the Connecticut Women’s Land Army during World War II
  • Cecilia Gowdy-Wygant - History and Women’s Studies faculty at Front Range Community College and Metropolitan State University of Denver. She is the author of Cultivating Victory: The Women’s Land Army and the Victory Garden Movement

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show. 

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Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. She served as the Senior Producer for 'The Colin McEnroe Show' for several years before stepping down in 2021 and returning to her previous career as a registered nurse. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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