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America experienced rationing for the first time in World War II. Some products that were rationed during World War II were sugar, meat, coffee, typewriters, fuel oil, gasoline, rubber, and automobiles. Food rationing probably affected most Americans the most. Each American was issued a book of ration cupons each month. Rationed goods were assigned a price and point value. Families were not restricted to certain quantities of rationed goods. But once their cupons were used up, they could not buy rationed goods until the next month. Families were incouraged to plant victory gardens. These gardens supplied a mjor part of the vegetable supply during the War. Rubber and gas were the most vital product rationed. Limited fuel supplies during the war affected America in many ways. Gas rationing was done differently than food rationing. Car owners had to register and were given windshield sticker based on how the car or other vehicle was used. Pleasure driving was prohibited. We have less information about clothing at this time. I do not believe that clothes were actually rationed, but the availability of civilian clothing was very much affected. Certain fabrics like silk or synthetic fibers were not available for civilian use. Shoes were rationed in America. Stamp 17 in War Ration Book 1 was good for one pair of shoes until June
15. (Probably about every 3-4 months) Families could pool the coupons of all members living in the same household. Even tennis shoes which had become popular in America were hard to get because that had rubber soles.
World War II began when the Germans invaded Poland (September 1939) and the British and French declared war on Germany. The American people were strongly isolationist and demanded that President Rooselvelt keep America out of the War. Demand for weapons and war materials created an economic boom in America and America experienced great propperity in 1940 and 41, a great relife from the depression. Life in America was surprisingly normal while the war raged in Europe. News reports of NAZI attrocities like the bombing if Rotterdam a nd the blitz on English cities created great sympathy for the British. Edward R. Murrow's braodcasts from London had a profounf impact on American opinion.
Until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 1941), however, most Americans wanted to stay out of the War. The Government made great strides in gearing up the american econonomy forwar in 1940 and 41, but there was a great deal of reluctance on the part of industry to shift producrion. Americans had jobs and were making good money for the first time since the Depression began in 1929. And workers with fat pay checks were in the mood to spend. Industries like the automobile industry were expanding car profuction and making impressive profits. Pearl Harbor changed this. Not only did isolationist sentiment disappear over night, but the conversion process was now persued with increased vigor. The public was also now willing to accept rationing of critical products.
To maximize the utilization of industrial and farm production to supply American and Allied troops, it was necessary to ask Americans on the homefront to conserve materials and to limit the consumpotion of food and strategic materials. America this experienced rationing for the first time in World War II. The Federal Government established the Office of Price Administration (OPA) in 1941. OPA opened War Price
and Rationing Boards in every county accross America. (A county was the administraive unit of each of the 48 states.) Local represenatives (businessmen, politicians, and some labor leaders) were chosen to make up each local board. These boards established a ration level for idividuals or families in the county. This depended on the person’s occupation and family size.
President Roosevelt explained the need for rationing to America in one of his famed Fire Side Chats. He spoke in April 1942 and explained that rationing was the only equitable way of distributing scarce goods. Otherwise those with money would get what they wanted and others would have to do without.
There were many Government promotions to encourage the public to make do with as little as possible. One slogan was, "Use it up, wear it out, make
it do or do without?"
Food rationing probably affected most Americans the most. Sugar, meat, canned vegtables, butter, cooking oil, tea, and coffee were all rationed. Families were incouraged to plant victory gardens. These gardens supplied a mjor part of the vegetable supply during the War. Sugar was rationed, because large quantities were needed to produce alcohol. Housewives saved kitchen fat which could be exchangd at the butcher for additional points.
We have less information about clothing at this time. The Army needed 64 million flannel shirts , 165 million, coats, and 229 millionpairs of trousers. As a result, civilian consumption needed to be curtailed to make sure that supplies of cotton and wool would be sufficent. The War Production Board (WPB) mandated stylistic changes to conserve raw material. A "Victory" suit was promoted with narrow lapels and trousers without cuffs. Witmen's dresses and skirts were made shorter and skirts were made without pleats. Two-piece bathing suits were ceated. [Goodwin, p. 355.] The shorter skirts without pleats also affected girl's clothes. We are lesssure about boys' clothes. We note that knickers for the most part disappeared during World War II. We suspect that the WPB was partly responsible, but we can not yet conform this. I do not believe that clothes, for the most part, were actually rationed, but the availability of civilian clothing was very much affected. Certain fabrics like silk or synthetic fibers were not available for civilian use. Shoes were rationed in America. Stamp 17 in War Ration Book 1 was good for one pair of shoes until June 15. (Probably about every 3-4 months) Families could pool the coupons of all members living in the same household. Even tennis shoes which had become popular in America were hard to get because that had rubber soles. The WPB attempted to curtail the production of girdles because of the runner involved, but there was such an outcry from the country's omen that girdle production continued.
Gasoline rationing was particularly unpopular. Gasoline rationing might have been avoided during the War. The big problem was runner. Authorities determined that the only way of reducing civilian rubber consumption was reducing driving and gasoline rationing was seem as the best way of accomplishing this. Gas rationing was done differently than food rationing. Car owners had to register and were given windshield sticker based on how the car or other vehicle was used. Pleasure driving was prohibited. Limited fuel supplies during the war affected America in many ways.
After the American Pacific fleet was imobilized by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese quickly moved against British Malayasia and the Dutch East Indies. This severely curtailed Allied rubber supplies and rubber quickly became one of the critical materials in shortest supply. There was rubber avialble from Brazil and the Government began a crash program to make synthetic rubber, but rubber was Rubber and gas were the most vital product rationed. President Roosevelt in a Fire Sise Chat asked Americans to launch a rubber drive. A range of rubber items could be used to augmnt the country's rubber stockpile: old tires, rubber hoses, rain coats--anything with rubber in it. Filling stations accepted all this old rubber from June 15-30, 1942. The response was amazing. Some people shipped the rubber directly to the White House. [Goodwin, p. 357.]
Rationed goods were assigned a price and point value. Each American, including the children, were issued a book of ration cupons. The stamps in each book totaled 48 points each month. The books were good for 6 months. Families were not restricted to certain quantities of rationed goods. People could used the cupons however they saw fit. But once their cupons were used up, they could not buy rationed goods until the next month. The mercahnt collected the stamps and used them to order merchandise. Many supplemented the rationed foods with Victory Gardens and home canning. A thriving barter economy developed for the ration coupons. People might trade unused gas stamps for meat stamps. Families who had used up their allotment of sugar might trade butter or shoe stamps if they had enough to spare. [Miller]
The public respnse to rationing in America varied. Some cheerfully complied seeing rationing as a way to contribute to the War eefort. Others grumbled. There were instances of black marketering and profiteering. Some local boards were guilty of favoritism. Most Americans found rationing only a modest inconvenience. In fact rationed allocations were far above levels in Britain and even more so in the occupied countries.
The productive capacity of the United States during the war surpassed all expectations. The principal American weapon was its vast industrail base. Even before America entered the War, President Roodevely had proclaimed that America would be the "Arsenal of Democrcy". America by 1943 was producing staggering amounts of weapons and war materials.
An American HBC contributor reports: "I was a teenager during World War II and remember the rationing of food, gas and other strategic items before I was drafted into the Army. Silk stockings and nylon's for ladies was unheard of. Young ladies drew a line down the back of their legs to indicate they were wearing
stockings. Gas rationing: a Class "A" sticker allowed you four gallons a week; Class "B" sticker allowed you ten gallons a week and a Class "C: sticker was unlimited, meaning your vehicle was essential for the war effort. We saved all tin cans, scrap iron, paper, tires, etc. (We had a 1932 Packard with two spare tires, one on each side of the engine compartment, we gave one tire back to the war effort). As for clothes, we bought the best wearing type of clothes and they lasted. I remember that as a boy, when I out grew my knickers and couldn't be repaired or lengthen, they became shorts."
Goodwin, Dorris Kerns. No OrdinaryTime. Franklin and Elenaor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II (Simon &Schuster, 1994), 759p.
Miller, Marc Scott, The Irony of Victory (1988).
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