Becky B's Reviews > Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II

Andrews relates the creation of the WACs, WAVES, and all the other women's branches of the military during WWII, what and who spurred the creation of each one, what kinds of jobs the women who signed up did, why this was important to the successful victory of the Allies, and what the experiences of some of the women in those roles were.

I've read a few other WWII history books that focused on women but this one was definitely the broadest and revealed the start up of each branch that was quite interesting to learn. Andrews also introduces readers to the women in leadership in each branch, and some of the women who worked in each division. Some of the roles revealed were ones I had never heard about before, such as women who were sent overseas just to deal with the mail for the troops or the marine biologists who helped with planning for movements in the Pacific arena. I liked that she highlighted not just White ladies, but also several Black and Asian American women who did vital work and the extra challenges they faced (she also points out challenges a vast majority of the women faced). There were some chapters which felt like they included information that really wasn't necessary, but for the most part it was a good read. My rating would likely be 3.5, so I'll round it up to 4. It was most interesting to learn about women in WWII on beyond the pilots, nurses, spies, and secretaries (though those ladies certainly get their page time too).

Notes on content:
Language: One or two swears in quotes.
Sexual content: One chapter talks about how each branch dealt with preparing the ladies to be healthy in their newfound freedom away from home, including sexual health and protecting themselves from unwanted advances. The book mainly talks about education measures and how many women faced sexual harassment in their work places, no sex scenes or anything.
Violence: Deaths during the war and perilous circumstances are mentioned, but they are few and nothing graphic.
Ethnic diversity: Biographical information is provided for White, Black, and Asian American women.
LGBTQ+ content: The chapter on sexual matters also talks about lesbianism during the war and what those accused of or caught in acts of such activity faced from their military supervisors.
Other: Obviously, with a book on such a topic gender disparities, inequalities, and injustics during WWII come up a lot.