Hepclip! "Women in Defense"

Katharine Hepburn narrated the words of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt for this 1941 short film entitled "Women in Defense" and produced by the Office for Emergency Management - Film Unit. In this clip, Hepburn describes the many ways women were involved in the war effort, from a science and engineering standpoint, as well as for their industrial and volunteer work.

"Women, skilled and unskilled, are asking, 'What can I do to help?' This film will show what women are doing and what they can do. Every women has an important place in the national defense programe, in science, in industry, and in the home."

As we remember the veterans of America and her allies, let's not forget the thousands of women who have served alongside the men in war and in peace. This quote from Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby is written in stone outside Washington's WWII memorial, and it pays perfect tribute to women's contributions to the defense of liberty.