Initially, the United States was slow to join the war efforts. The President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, stated that his administration would make every effort possible to avoid war on the day of the initial attack. When British and French governments declared a state of war with Germany, Roosevelt once again announced that he hopes the United States stays out of the war. However, in the year following this announcement, the United States would be taking preparatory actions.  This not only included increased production on military weapons, aircraft, supplies, and such, but also an increase in soldiers.  On the sixth of September 1940, United States congress signed the Selective Training and Service Act. Soon after on the sixteenth of September 1940, President Roosevelt signed the act into law. This law required men between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five years of age to register for the draft. In later years, more and more men would be required to register and serve. These men, who worked in factories and other homeland jobs, left their position to join the military force. This created an abundance of opportunities for women. This draft lead to five million women entering the workforce to fulfill jobs the men left unoccupied in the United States. This act strengthened our military, all while creating a sense of independence for women.