After the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on the American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the U.S. was thrust into World War II (1939-45), and everyday life across the country was dramatically altered.
To help build the armaments necessary to win the war, women found employment as electricians, welders and riveters in defense plants.
From the outset of the war, it was clear that enormous quantities of airplanes, tanks, warships, rifles and other armaments would be essential to beating America’s aggressors. U.S. workers played a vital role in the production of such war-related materials. Many of these workers were women. Indeed, with tens of thousands of American men joining the armed forces and heading into training and into battle, women began securing jobs as welders, electricians and riveters in defense plants. Until that time, such positions had been strictly for men only.
In the earliest days of America’s participation in the war, panic gripped the country. If the Japanese military could successfully attack Hawaii and inflict damage on the naval fleet and casualties among innocent civilians, many people wondered what was to prevent a similar assault on the U.S. mainland, particularly along the Pacific coast.
This fear of attack translated into a ready acceptance by a majority of Americans of the need to sacrifice in order to achieve victory. During the spring of 1942, a rationing program was established that set limits on the amount of gas, food and clothing 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 oil.
The United States Office of War Information released posters in which Americans were urged to “Do with less–so they’ll have enough” (“they” referred to U.S. troops). Meanwhile, individuals and communities conducted drives for the collection of scrap metal, aluminum cans and rubber, all of which were recycled and used to produce armaments. Individuals purchased U.S. war bonds to help pay for the high cost of armed conflict.
As an alternative to rationing, many Americans planted “victory gardens,” in which they grew their own food. By 1945, some 20 million such gardens were in use and accounted for about 40 percent of all vegetables consumed in the U.S.
Watch, "America enters the War." (4.23)
Listen to an actual ad to encourage Americans to plant their own Victory Garden.
This TV advertisement is teaching citizens how and why to use the ration coupons.
Watch, "Rosie the Riveter."
The Television commercial that aimed to encourage citizens to ration goods gave multiple things to purchase sparingly and gave reasons why.
Comment on the blog: Name one thing that was rationed and WHY it was rationed? Try not to repeat the same thing.
I read that things from food, gas, and all the way to chicken wire was rationed during this time. It stated that most things that were rationed were for the better of others, so every one could get their fair share.
ReplyDeletebefore a say one thing that was rationed and why I want to say that advertisement was the best and the rationed item I wanted to say was tires. I thought it was vary interesting that something that you do not think would need to be rationed was rationed and the reason why was because Japan captured a rubber plantation in Asia and they also needed rubber for submarines and other thing.
ReplyDeleteOne of the thing that was rationed was food. Victory Gardens were used to provide food for the people at home so solders over seas can eat. On another subject, Captain America appeared in March 1941 a few months before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
ReplyDeleteone thing i wanted to say was rationed was shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!! eeee that would not be gould if u had kids that were groing
ReplyDeleteI learned that coffee was rationed because it came from South America and had to be shipped to America. This was a problem because those ships and men were needed to help fight the war.
ReplyDeleteFrom the video, one thing that was rationed was sugar. It didn't say in the video so I looked it up and found out that it was actually the first food to be rationed, because the war with Japan cut off U.S imports from the Philippines. So we must have gotten our sugar from there?
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that was rationed was meats, because there was shortages of it, and some had to go to the soldiers. I really liked the idea of Victory Gardens.
ReplyDeleteGasoline was rationed because it was needed for cars, planes, and tanks for the army.
ReplyDeleteI learned that processed and canned foods were rationed because they stored easily and wouldn't rot as fast as fresh foods
ReplyDeleteI learned that they had to ration leather for the boots, belts, and jackets for the soldiers.
ReplyDeleteI learned that tires were rationed because when the Japanese attacked pearl harbor they also captured American rubber plantations in Asia. So rubber had to be saved for cheap tires, and other things.
ReplyDeleteI learned that shoes were rationed because the material used to make them was also used in boots, and belts for soldiers. I had no idea things were rationed during the war. It sounds so hard to have to have a certain amount coupons just to buy one thing!!
ReplyDeleteI learned that stoves were rationed for soldiers in WWII
ReplyDelete