This thesis examines consecutive editions of The Army Wife, a guidebook of social customs and etiquette for military spouses published between 1941 and 1954. The 1941 edition of The Army Wife illustrates the power of World War II to redefine traditional gender roles; while, at the same time, reveals the tenacity of traditional notions of gender. The revised 1948 edition's emphasis on domestic labor, traditions and conventional roles, and endorsement of expert opinion and consumption aimed to acculturate wives to serve their husbands. The 1954 edition placed the most emphasis on domesticity and traditional roles. Collectively, the handbooks indicate that the military prescribed an ideal for Army wives through the manual, which reinforced the domestic ideal and indicates that wives' unpaid labor was essential for the proper functioning of the military. Oral histories of Army wives offer evidence of personal difficulties negotiating changing notions of gender and static ideals.