Food and Material Rations
The panic that ensued the American people after the attacks on Pearl Harbour translated into a ready acceptance of the need to sacrifice to achieve victory. During the spring of 1942, a rationing program set limits on the amount of gas, food and clothing that consumers could purchase. Families were issued ration stamps that were used to buy their allotment of everything: from meat, sugar, fat, butter, vegetables and fruit to gas, tires, clothing and fuel. An alternative to rationing, Americans planted a “victory garden,” in which they grew their own food. By 1945 approximately 20 million gardens were in use, accounting for 40% of the vegetables consumed in the US. The US Office of War Information released posters urging citizens to “Do with less - so they’ll have enough.” Meanwhile, individuals and communities held drives for the collection of scrap metal, cans and rubber, which were then recycled and used to produce armaments. Individuals could also purchase war bonds to help pay for the cost of armed conflict. Workers In order to beat their aggressors, America needed large quantities of airplanes, tanks, warships, rifles and other armaments. Mony of the workers involved in the production of these were women, due to the tens of thousands of men who were joining the forces. Women began to secure jobs as welders, electricians and riveters in defence plants, jobs that had previously been strictly male. A woman who toiled in the defense industry came to be known as a “Rosie the Riveter.” One woman employed at the factory, Rose Monroe, was a riveter who was then recruited to appear in Walter Pidgeon’s film. The wartime decrease in availability of men in the work force led to an upsurge in the number of women holding non-war related jobs. By the mid 1940s, the percentage of women in the American workforce had expanded from 25 to 36%. Japanese-Americans After Pearl Harbour, Americans of Japanese descent began to be treated as if they were capable of treachery and disloyalty. This resulted in nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans dispatched to makeshift “relocation” camps. However, young Japanese-American men continued to fight bravely in Italy, France and Germany. Entertainment and Morale Baseball was won of the main forms of morale-boosting and entertainment during the war. During the war, 95% of the professional baseball players were directly involved in the conflict. This allowed room for non-major league players to win spots on rosters. Some famous baseballers were killed in the conflict, while others overcame injury to continue playing. Throughout WWII, American moviegoers were treated to a steady stream of war-related programming. The movie-going experience included a 10 minute newsreel of the recent battles, followed by a cartoon. While many cartoons did not relate to the war, some comically caricatured the enemy. The main program often featured non-war related content - mysteries, westerns, dramas, comedies. However, a significant amount of feature films dealt directly with the war. They often spotlighted the trials of men in combat, demonised the Nazis and Japanese, on the trials of American women and families, or the fear of a loved one never returning. Radio was the primary source of news and entertainment for most American households. As the conflict progressed, people grew increasingly dependent on radio for updates on the fighting. Big bands and entertainers performed before thousands at military bases. These programs were then aired on the radio across America. Radio dramas often featured war-related storylines. |