When the men went off to fight for the first time the American/Canadian Governments asked the women to help their Nations by working in the plants and other industries while the men were off fighting the war. That they did! That's where the American "Rosie the Riveter" came from. They helped build planes, worked in munitions plants, packed parachutes, became secretaries in the Corps, etc. The big mistake the governments made was when the men came back from war the women were basically told to go back home to their ironing and cleaning house and the men got their jobs back! The women for the first time had a taste of working and they knew they could do more than stay home and scrub, clean, look after kids and keep their mouths shut. They fought back, and some did get jobs and every generation is proving that women are quite capable of doing many jobs and holding high positions in corporations. Women today are scientists, doctors, lawyers, etc.