Rosie built the arsenal. Parents must forge the next generation

Published June 15, 2026 11:00am ET



In 1942, Rosie the Riveter rolled up her sleeves and helped build Freedom’s Arsenal. While millions of men shipped overseas to fight militaristic fascism, women stepped into factories and shipyards in unprecedented numbers.

When the war ended, the men came home. Women overwhelmingly returned to the hearth. Together, they built the greatest middle-class prosperity in human history.

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