The article dialogues with historiography on the social impact of the Second World War and the particularities of the historical development of the struggle for women's rights in Latin America. Based on articles published in two Brazilian periodicals, the Correio da Lavoura newspaper, and the Diretrizes magazine, the article examines themes such as the call for Brazilian women to take part in civic mobilization as the country became more involved in the conflict, reports on experiences of engagement in traditionally male productive and military activities in different countries, and the debate on changes in the place of women in post-war society.