The Picture Show Fri January 25, 2013 A Brief History Of Women
In Combat Traditions break down fast during times of war, and
history is full of examples where women assumed dramatic new
roles that never would have been possible in times of peace. As
this photo gallery shows, the pressing demands of World War II
led many countries to call on women to bolster their armed
forces, in jobs ranging from nurse to front-line soldier.
Hundreds of thousands of American women served in the U.S.
military during that war, and U.S. women were allowed to fly
military aircraft for the first time. Some countries desperate
for fighters, like the Soviet Union, put women in combat roles.
When wars end, old rules can often return. The U.S. Congress
mandated in 1948 that women should be limited to 2 percent of
the force. Women have managed to steadily expand their role in
the military since then, and they now make up 15 percent of the
military. But they were barred from combat positions until
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announc